West Indies team bus stoned

Bangladesh v West Indies, Group B, World Cup 2011, Mirpur

West Indies team bus stoned in Dhaka

The Bangladesh fans

The bus carrying the West Indies players has been stoned on its way back to the team hotel after they thrashed Bangladesh by nine wickets in Mirpur. There were no injuries, the team management confirmed to ESPNcricinfo, and both squads were safely back at the hotel but the players were shaken.

News of the incident spread across the world within moments, evoking memories of the attack on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore almost exactly two years ago - though that was far more serious - and will raise questions about the security provided to teams at the tournament.

"This is some b*******," Chris Gayle tweeted moments after the incident. "Bangladesh stoning our bus!!! Freaking glass break!!! This is c***, can't believe..what next bullets!!!! Kiss teeth".

The team's media manager, Philip Spooner, confirmed that two windows cracked, but none shattered, and hence no stone made its way inside. "We left the ground, and on our way back to the hotel, a couple of stones did hit our window," Spooner said. "We are now back at the hotel, both teams are back at the hotel and are safe."

Mustafa Kamal, the Bangladesh board president, apologised to the West Indies team. "We are sorry it happened," Kamal told AFP. "We have already ordered an investigation and the police are working on it. There was enough security for the buses, the fans may have thought it was the Bangladesh bus. The stones were thrown from a long distance. No serious damage was done, but still we are very sorry this happened."

The incident occurred after West Indies completed a crushing nine-wicket victory over the hosts in a match that lasted all of 31.1 overs. The discontent among the crowd could be seen when they started throwing the placards that have "4" and "6" written on them onto the playing field the moment Bangladesh lost their last wicket to be bowled out for their lowest-ever ODI total - 58.

The stones hit the bus when it was about three minutes on its way back to the hotel. Spooner said that the team manager, Richie Richardson, would notify the respective boards and the ICC soon. There was no panic, he said. "Just make sure you mention that nobody got hurt, everybody is safe. There is no panic, everybody is fine."

Gayle was not that calm about it. He tweeted again: "This is ridiculous!!! Damn!!! W Cup with so many security an this happen!! Big Joke!!! Trust me I'm not keen here!!! Av (every) players lay flat!!!"

A Bangladesh police official said the fans had mistaken the West Indies bus for the Bangladesh bus. "The fans thought it was the Bangladeshi team bus and they hurled stones at it," Imtiaz Ahmed, deputy commissioner of police in Dhaka, told AFP. "The window panes were shattered, but no one was injured."

Mirpur: The West Indies squad met a rude shock after beating Bangladesh in the World Cup on Friday when their team but was stoned by disappointed Bangladesh supporters as the they were leaving the ground after the match.

"A couple of fans threw stones, two hit the window and it just broke. No one was hurt and we are safe," said the West Indies team spokesman.

"The glass didn't shatter. It just broke," the spokesman continued. "They are back in the hotel."

West Indies opener Chris Gayle also tweeted from the bus, saying "Bangladesh stoning our bus!!! Freaking glass Break!!! This is crap, can't believe... what next, bullets!!!!

"This is ridiculous!!! Damn!!! W Cup with so many security an this happen!! Big Joke!!! Trust me, I'm not keen here!!!... players lay flat!!!"

The West Indies beat co-hosts Bangladesh by nine wickets but what must have angered the fans was the way the hosts kneeled down against the Windies attack that skittled them out for just 58.

This was Bangladesh's lowest total in ODIs and fourth lowest in the history of World Cup.

The home team was bundled out in only 18.5 overs to set up one of the easiest wins for the West Indies in recent times. Kemar Roach took 3/19, Darren Sammy 3/21 and left-arm spinner Suleiman Benn 4/18 to wrap up a spineless Bangladesh batting.