Sri Lanka cricket officials announced that the first one-day international of the triangular series with South Africa and India had been postponed.

Sri Lanka were scheduled to play the South Africans on Monday but the game was first rescheduled for Tuesday due to wet weather and then abandoned because of uncertainty over whether the tournament would be scrapped over security fears.

"The match has been postponed and will be replayed later in the tournament," said a Sri Lanka Cricket official.

South Africa's players had wanted to return home after a bomb blast in the capital on Monday killed seven people and injured 17. But they agreed to stay in the country following 24 hours of security briefings.

"The South Africans will have better security than our own government ministers," added the Sri Lanka official.

"All their security demands have been met and they will be staying for the triangular series."

The additional security measures include armed guards, traffic-free roads for transport, bullet-proof coaches and armoured back-up vehicles.

Cricket South Africa said the team would remain in Sri Lanka while the new security measures were being "evaluated".

"Police and security officials have assured us the highest levels of security in Sri Lanka are now in place to ensure the safety of the Proteas," said cricket affairs general manager Brian Basson.

"We have also been advised by the South African High Commissioner in Colombo all indications are that the team and cricket in general do not appear to be targets in the general unrest in Sri Lanka.

"The safety of the team has been paramount in all our deliberations and we have been assured upgraded security levels for the team will achieve this."

A security forces convoy escorting a Pakistan embassy vehicle was hit by a Claymore fragmentation mine, hours after a suspected rebel front threatened to bomb civilian targets.

The blast was within the town centre, around 1.6km from the team hotels.

South Africa's players asked to return home after their security consultants said their safety could no longer be guaranteed.

But the International Cricket Council (ICC), the sport's governing body, requested a second independent security assessment.

The postponed Sri Lanka-South Africa match will now be played on August 29, with the series final shifted back three days to September 2.

Sri Lanka's day-night match against India on Wednesday will go ahead as planned.

South Africa's next scheduled game is against India on Saturday.

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