M A I N   N E W S

Subcontinent to host 2011 World Cup
Gopal Bhattacharya

Dubai, April 30
India and three other Asian countries today won the bid to host the 2011 Cricket World Cup after defeating a joint proposal by Australia and New Zealand at the ICC’s Executive Board meeting here.

The cash-rich South Asian bloc swept the voting by an overwhelming margin to ensure the cricketing extravaganza returned to the subcontinent after a gap of 15 years.

The ICC also announced that Australia and New Zealand would host the 2015 World Cup, while England will stage the following edition in 2019.

Although the ICC bosses refused to disclose the margin of victory, BCCI Vice-President Lalit Modi told a TV channel that the Asian bloc won 10-3.

The surprisingly easy victory for the four Asian Test playing countries — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — put an end to weeks of suspense on who would host the high-profile event.

“In the end, everybody supported the Asian bid. We have also decided that every third World Cup would be held in Asia,” ICC President Ehsan Mani told a press conference after the meeting.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan said it was a “great challenge” for the Asian countries to host the mega event.

“Although we started preparing for it late, we managed to pull it off. It is great day for the Asian countries,” he said.

The ICC Board meeting took place amid indications that none of the two parties would be able to gain a clear majority but the Asian bloc managed to tilt the scales in its favour.

The joint Asian bid needed just three more votes from full members for the required majority of seven out of 13 votes.

Apart from the 10 Test playing countries, three associate members — Israel, UAE and Malaysia — had the voting rights.

India were represented by their senior cricket board functionary Inderjit Singh Bindra at the meeting in the absence of BCCI chief Sharad Pawar.

Bindra thanked the other Asian members for their support. “Without the support of all members, we could not have achieved what we have done today, it is a landmark win,” he said.

India and Pakistan had earlier hosted the event in 1987, while Sri Lanka joined them in 1996. Australia and New Zealand had staged the World Cup in 1992. The West Indies are to host the World Cup next year.

As per the schedule of matches mentioned in the joint Asian bid, India will host 22 matches, including the semi-finals, Pakistan 14, Sri Lanka nine and Bangladesh six. Lahore will stage the final.

Twenty20 event in South Africa

South Africa will host the inaugural Twenty20 World Championship in September next year, the ICC said today.

The championship will feature 12 teams, including all 10 Test playing nations in a nine-day event. Pakistan will hold the event in 2008 while England, who introduced the format, will hold it in 2009. — PTI 

It’s an honour for Asia: Pawar

New Delhi, April 30
Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) President Sharad Pawar today said the successful bid for 2011 World Cup was an honour for Asia and reflected the cricketing world's trust in the organising capabilities of the four Test playing nations.

“It is an honour for Asia and the four countries who jointly bid for the World Cup,” Pawar told PTI.

“The ICC has cast a great responsibility on us and also shown great trust in the Asian countries,” the BCCI chief said.

Pawar said it would be a golden opportunity for the cricket loving population in the four countries to savour the mega event.

“We will conduct the World Cup in such a way that Asia’s honour will go up,” he promised.

Pawar also stated that he had been asked to take up as chairman of the organising committee. “But I said let the World Cup come to us first.”

He also thanked the Prime Minister of India, President of Pakistan and the leaders of Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for their support to the Asian bid.

Mumbai: Former BCCI President Raj Singh Dungarpur said the successful bid of the 2011 World Cup showed the solidarity among the Asian nations.

Dungarpur praised IS Bindra, another former President of the Board who represented the BCCI at the ICC meeting in Dubai, and Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan.

“BCCI President Sharad Pawar sent the right man (Bindra) for the bid... and kudos to Shaharyar Khan for building the bridges so quickly with Pawar,” he said. — PTI