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| March 24, 2006 | Friday | Safar 23, 1427 |
PCB chief hopeful of Asia hosting 2011 World Cup
KARACHI, March 23: Pakistan Cricket Board’s chairman Shaharyar M. Khan denied that Asia was in danger of losing the right to host the 2011 World Cup after the game’s governing body found errors in its joint bid’s compliance book. Talking to journalists on Thursday after attending the two-day meeting of the ICC Executive Board at its headquarters in Dubai, the PCB chief remained optimistic that Asia would make a successful bid to stage the cricket’s mega event in 2011.
“We are very hopeful that the region’s joint bid will be accepted by the International Cricket Council (ICC) once the mistakes in the compliance book are rectified and presented to the body on April 21,” he said. “There is an understanding at the ICC that Asia is to host every third World Cup because four countries are representing the region.”
The Asian compliance book, which is a document that outlines logistic data such as details of venues and the facilities to be provided at the World Cup in accordance with the requirements, contained certain loopholes which was unacceptable to the ICC hierarchy.
The joint bid from Asia’s four Test-playing countries — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh — was submitted to the ICC just a week ago (March 16) after failing to meet the originally set Feb 28 deadline.
“The ICC has accepted after long deliberations to give Asia more time to submit the compliance book by the new deadline.
“Some member countries opposed the idea of allowing Asia to resubmit the bid because they felt that would give us unfair advantage in one way or the other. However, we managed to convince them there were genuine reasons for the long delay,” he explained.
Shaharyar was confident that the final bid would be ready for presentation after problems afflicting were addressed by representatives of the four cricket boards.
“I have heard that the Sri Lankans are unhappy at the way in which the matches were allocated, although they didn’t raise the issue at the Dubai meeting,” he pointed out. “In addition, there are other reservations among our Asian members which need to be sorted out when we meet in Delhi shortly.”
Unconfirmed reports suggest that Pakistan has been allotted 16 matches with India hosting 20, Sri Lanka nine and Bangladesh six. According to PCB chief, that as in the 1996 World Cup, the final would be held in Pakistan with both semifinals taking place in India.
Asia is also facing challenge from Trans-Tasman neighbours Australia and New Zealand who are also in fray to stage the 2011 showpiece after having also co-hosted the 1992 World Cup, which incidentally was won by Pakistan.
Meanwhile, the PCB chairman said the ICC has accepted in principle a proposal that member countries would participate in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in 2007 on a voluntary basis.
“It means that Pakistan has a choice of either taking part in the competition for staying away. But from 2009 onwards, the ICC has made it mandatory that all countries should play this brand of cricket regardless of any misgiving about it,” he said.
The PCB chief also announced that according to the new six-year Future Tour Programme (FTP) approved unanimously by the ICC, Australia and England are scheduled to tour Pakistan in 2008.
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