SRI LANKA will stage its four fixtures in the World Cup starting in 11 days' time despite the bomb, blast which killed up to 80 people in Colombo, cricket chief Ana Punchihewa said yesterday. Sri Lanka is jointly hosting the limited overs tournament with India and Pakistan and has games scheduled in Colombo and Kandy.
"No sports event has ever been a target of attacks and the cricketer's have nothing to fear," said Punchihewa, president of the game's Board of Control in Sri Lanka.
"I have been in contact with the Minister of Sports (S B Dissanayake) and he has met with Her Excellency the President (Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga) and the Defence Ministry and we have been assured of maximum security for the visiting teams.
"We have also received assurances from Jagmohan Dalmiya, convenor of PILCOM (Pakistan-India-Lanka Organising Committee) that they would be supporting our efforts. They are 100 per cent behind us and they say they want Sri Lanka to host the four games as scheduled."
The Australian Cricket Board, however, will discuss the possibility of forfeiting their opening match against Sri Lanka in Colombo on February 17th at a meeting on Monday and Tuesday of next week. Several leading Australian players have expressed, fears for their safety. On Friday police said fast bowler Craig McDermott had received a death. threat.
West Indies, Zimbabwe and Kenya are the other countries scheduled to play in Sri Lanka.
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