Vettori, Dhoni lament terror attack on Sri Lankans

Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni says cricketers are an easy target for terrorists. Photo / Getty Images

Amid the sledging and strategising, Daniel Vettori and Mahendra Singh Dhoni both realised their cricketing battle had been put in context last night by the tragic events unfolding in Pakistan as the match was underway.

The New Zealand and Indian captains both learned of the terrorist attack targeting the Sri Lankan team in Lahore as the opening game of the best of five one-day series approached the midway point at McLean Park.

Dhoni had just lost batting partner Yuvraj Singh to a run out when news was relayed to the middle about the brazen attack which left six Sri Lankan players wounded when the team bus was ambushed enroute to the second test venue.

At least eight police and civilians were killed in the ensuing gun battle, details that cast a pall over a rain-affected encounter that ended with both teams sporting black arm bands.

"I was quite shocked, quite blank at that moment," Dhoni said after his unbeaten 84 helped guide India to a 53-run victory under the Duckworth/Lewis method.

The fact cricketers were deliberately targeted was a sinister development.

"It's not a tough target, cricketers roam around freely in most of the places we tour. It's sad sportspeople have been attacked.

"I'm glad to be in New Zealand, you don't have to worry about these things."

Despite Dhoni's comments, the Associated Press reported overnight that the Indian Cricket Board had requested security for the Indian team be beefed up for the remainder of the tour here in the wake of the attack.

Board president Niranjan Shah was reported in India as having asked team manager Shashank Manohar to make the request for extra security to New Zealand Cricket.

India were scheduled to tour Pakistan in January but their government refused to allow them to tour, mirroring a decision by Australia last year.

Sri Lanka replaced India as opponents for the Pakistanis, with devastating consequences.

Vettori, a member of the New Zealand team that aborted their tour to Pakistan in 2002 when a bomb was detonated outside their hotel in Karachi, joined Dhoni in expressing shock at the attack - and said it was unlikely a scheduled test and ODI tour in November would now proceed.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan said no decision would be made for some time on the viability of the tour, and a security review would normally take place in June or July.

But Vettori appeared adamant the players would not risk visiting the volatile cricket-mad nation.

"I don't think there would have been much chance of us going before this," he said, adding Pakistan was now essentially off limits.

"It's difficult to see teams touring there in the future. It's tough for Pakistan cricket to come back from this through no fault of their own."

Dhoni agreed it could be several years before teams venture back to Pakistan.

The Champions Trophy one-day tournament, scheduled for Pakistan last September, was postponed on security grounds for a year and will now be relocated while the attack should also ensure the country is denied co-hosting the 2011 World Cup alongside India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

- NZPA