2 killed in Lahore during cricket match

Islamabad - A Pakistani minister admitted on Saturday that a suicide bomber was responsible for an explosion outside Lahore's Gaddafi Stadium that killed two people during a Pakistan-Zimbabwe cricket match, despite police insisting the explosion was accidental.

The incident, which triggered a news blackout in Pakistani media on Friday, came despite heavy security for the country's first cricket series on home soil since an attack on the Sri Lankan team bus in March 2009.

"The suicide bomber failed to enter the stadium due to the bravery of our police," said Information Minister Pervez Rashid.

The attack took place about 1.5km from the venue at "the outer security cordon of the stadium", Rashid said, adding that it did not affect the match.

Same venue

Security has been ratcheted up for the series with around 4 000 policemen guarding the stadium itself and a further 2 000 along the route from the Zimbabwe team hotel to the venue.

The series, comprised of two Twenty20 matches and three one-day internationals, is the first since the 2009 attack on the Sri Lankan team left eight people dead.

After winning both Twenty20 matches, Pakistan also clinched the one-day series by chasing down a target of 269 in 47.2 overs in Friday's match.

The third and final one-day is to be played at the same venue on Sunday.