The future of international cricket in Pakistan is bleak after today's terror attack on the Sri Lanka team in Lahore.

It left eight people dead and one official and seven players injured.

Thilan Samaraweera and Tharanga Paranavitana were hospitalised after gunmen struck as the team bus made its way to the Gaddafi Stadium for the third day of the second Test.

Captain Mahela Jayawardene, vice-captain Kumar Sangakkara, Ajantha Mendis, Suranka Lakmal and Chaminda Vaas also sustained lesser injuries - as did assistant coach Paul Farbrace.

It was reported six policemen and two civilians were killed - while fourth umpire Ahsan Raza remains in a critical condition in hospital, after being shot in the back as he travelled in a mini-bus just behind the team coach.

"Hosting 2011 World Cup is impossible"

It was the first Test series to be played in the country in 14 months after Australia withdrew from a tour last year because of security concerns amid the unrest which followed the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto.

The Champions Trophy, which had been due to take place in Pakistan in September last year, was also postponed - and India's proposed tour was cancelled because of strained relations between the two nations.

The remainder of Sri Lanka's tour was immediately cancelled in the wake of the attacks, and New Zealand are expected to call off their scheduled visit in November.

International Cricket Council president David Morgan said: "At this stage it is too early to start speculating on the future of international cricket taking place in Pakistan but the immediate future looks bleak."

Pakistan are co-hosts of the 2011 World Cup, with one of the semi-finals scheduled for the Gaddafi Stadium.

ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat admitted there would now be urgent talks about whether to shift those matches elsewhere.

He told an Indian television news channel: "In the next day or two we will have to make some serious decisions - and we will.

"Terrorism won't affect cricket ties"

"We can be thankful that there were not more fatalities.

"There obviously have been breaches, and the security has not been good enough.

"There will be some serious repercussions from this, but for the time being we need to make sure the players, the officials and the people who have been dear to us are safe."

The incident occurred barely 100 metres from the stadium and reportedly triggered a 15-minute gun battle with police - although none of the gunmen are thought to have been captured or killed.

The Sri Lanka players and management were later airlifted from the stadium to await a flight back to Colombo, along with Samaraweera and Paranavitana.

Injured critically

Sri Lankan officials will now come under pressure to justify their trip to Pakistan although team manager Brendon Kuruppu insisted they were right to travel.

"I don't think it was a mistake to come to Pakistan in the first place," Kuruppu said on CNN-IBN.

"The Pakistan Cricket Board has given us all assurances that everything would be fine.

"We are lucky that none of the players was injured critically.

"It is a very sad situation, but we would have to take this incident into consideration when we plan future tours to this country."

Sangakkara added: "Everything had gone on very well until this morning, but it just goes to show that nothing is as it seems.

"I don't regret coming here to play cricket because that's what we have been doing all our lives. That is our profession.

"But I regret this incident. All we want to do now is to go back home to our families, get back home and be safe."

Play overseas

Cricket Australia chief executive James Sutherland insisted that, for the moment, the one-day series against Pakistan, slated to start next month in United Arab Emirates, is unaffected.

He explained: "Of course, with any tour we play overseas, it is always subject to the latest security advice we have. We will go through our usual course of pre-tour visits.

"Within that we reserve judgement at any stage - if we feel it is not safe for our team to be in a certain place, we will take appropriate action and the appropriate steps just as we have in the past."

Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi also believes his tournament will go ahead as scheduled.

Former England Test opener Chris Broad - father of England bowler Stuart Broad and now a senior match referee - was travelling in the same bus as Raza, and went to his aid.

Unscathed

England and Wales Cricket Board chief executive David Collier expressed relief that 51-year-old Broad escaped largely unscathed.

"From what we understand he played a significant role role in ensuring the fourth umpire was brought out to safety," Collier told Sky Sports News.

"Thank goodness he's safe and away from the area now."

Collier stressed the ECB will monitor the situation "very carefully" and condemned the "mindless" attacks, which he recognised will compromise Pakistan's position as a host of sporting events.

"Clearly last year a decision was made that sadly we couldn't go to Pakistan for the Champions Trophy," he said.

"It is a very serious situation for Pakistan.

"Clearly there has to be some security questions about playing Pakistan at this time."