Carrying weapons and modern communication equipment, a 16-member National Security Guards (NSG) team left for the West Indies on Monday to assist the organisers of the 2007 World Cup in providing security to players, especially the Indian squad some members of which face threat from militant groups like Lashkar-e-Tayiba.

The team, which is also carrying bomb detection and disposal equipment, left for the Caribbean early this morning, official sources said.

The NSG team is being deputed at the request of the Caribbean authorities for security assistance during the mega event.

Two senior security liaison officers would be joining the NSG team soon for coordinating and their deployment during the 48-day event.

Some players of the Indian team have been facing threats from Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Tayiba, official sources said.

This is the first ever time that crack commandos of NSG would provide security to the Indian cricket team and undertake the exercise outside the country for such an event.

The Indian team led by Rahul Dravid, along with coach Greg Chappell and BCCI officials, are already in the West Indies.