Police stand guard as an injured fan is rushed to hospital after two bombs exploded near an IPL match in Bangalore. Photo / Getty Images
Police stand guard as an injured fan is rushed to hospital after two bombs exploded near an IPL match in Bangalore. Photo / Getty Images
A cricket team from Wellington is re-assessing its travel plans to Bangalore, after two bombs exploded outside a cricket ground.
Ten people were injured when the bombs exploded outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, shortly before an Indian Premier League match between the Bangalore Royal Challengers and the Mumbai Indianswas about to start. Two more unexploded bombs were later found near the stadium.
An under-16 Wellington side plan to leave next Friday for Hyderabad, before heading south to Bangalore where they will play three 50 over matches against an Indian representative side.
Former Black Cap and Cricket Wellington CEO Gavin Larsen said the two week trip was "the chance of a life-time".
But the final call on whether or not the trip will go ahead will be made in the next 48 hours.
Larsen is the team's manager and said he would be talking with the International Cricket Council's security specialist, as well as NZ Cricket player association head Heath Mills and an independent security specialist.
He said players and their parents had a meeting on the weekend to talk about their travel plans and discussed the security threat.
"There was still a positive feeling in the room," Larsen said.
He said the parents have put their trust in Cricket Wellington to make the call.
"The bottom line is we would not compromise the safety of the touring party," Larsen said.
He said things have changed since his playing days, although he was in Sri Lanka in 1992 when a bomb went off near the player's hotel.
"It was incredibly unnerving," Larsen said.
He said despite the bombing, he enjoyed "every minute of every tour" to the sub-continent.
"The reality is we are living in an incredibly unsettled global cricket environment," Larsen said.
