International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat Saturday condemned the attack on the West Indies team bus by Bangladesh fans but said there were no immediate plans to move games.
International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat Saturday condemned the attack on the West Indies team bus by Bangladesh fans but said there were no immediate plans to move games.
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Home supporters reacted angrily after seeing their side bowled out for just 58 by the West Indies in Dhaka on Friday in a World Cup match the visitors won by nine wickets.
The bus came under attack as it was heading back to the West Indies' team hotel after the match, in what police said was a case of mistaken identity, with fans thinking it was the home team's vehicle.
Lorgat said the ICC had no immediate plans to move matches from Bangladesh, with England and South Africa still to play group fixtures in the country against the Tigers.
"Of course, the reaction is one of disappointment, because that's exactly what we'd not like to see but I think we must have perspective," Lorgat told reporters at Chennai's Chidambaram Stadium. "It was a minor incident.
"It was some disappointed fans, as a result of the home team being defeated so convincingly by the visitors. My understanding is that a few individuals threw pebbles at the bus, and they were pebbles."
He said the police had made arrests and security arrangements were satisfactory.
"With that particular incident we will re-assess but I've said before I am very, very pleased with the maturity of the security measures we've got, the expertise, the experience we've got on board," Lorgat said.
Asked if games could be moved from Bangladesh, should teams object on security grounds, Lorgat replied: "We would not move the games lightly but it is not something which we would discount completely.
"I don't believe that particular incident justifies any game being moved just yet.
"We will continually review. We do have contingency plans but we have got a very, very robust security arrangement in place and I am extremely confident we will see the tournament through as scheduled," the South African added.
West Indies star Chris Gayle on Friday tweeted about the incident from the vehicle.
"This is ridiculous. Damn. World Cup with so much security and this happens. Big joke. Trust me I am not keen here. Every player lay flat," he wrote on his Twitter account.
He added: "This is some bullshit.....Bangladesh stoning our bus!!! Freaking glass Break!!! This is crap, can't believe..what next, bullets!!!!"
In a separate incident, the home of Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan was also stoned on Friday, breaking a window, police said.
Bangladesh has stepped up security after the incident.
"We have enhanced security arrangements for the World Cup. The police are working on it," said Mesbah Uddin Serniabat, a retired colonel, who is the security director for the tournament's local organising committee.
"We will keep the pedestrians a little away from the team buses and motorcade and police teams will be patrolling the streets more intensively," he said."
Police and the elite Rapid Action Battalion have arrested 38 suspects.
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