July 12, 2007	Thursday	Jamadi-us-Sani 26, 1428

BRIDGETOWN, July 11: Profits from this year's World Cup will wipe out the financial deficit of the host West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), tournament organizers said. The March-April event, staged in the Caribbean for the first time, netted $32 million in ticket sales, which were higher than the previous two tournaments.

“We broke new ground by hosting this event successfully in the Caribbean,” Cup chairman Kenneth Gordon said in a statement.

“We sold more tickets (672,000) than the last two World Cups in South Africa (625,000) and England (476,000) and garnered $32 million in ticket revenue which the International Cricket Council (ICC) has told us is the highest gate ever.

“The profit from the event will also eliminate the deficit of the WICB and this augurs well for the future of West Indies cricket.”

Gordon, who is also head of the WICB, praised the legacy of 12 world-class stadiums and the way in which logistical challenges were overcome during the event co-hosted by nine nations.

He also said the World Cup had had its low points.

“Of course, there are lessons we have learned and things which occurred that could not have been anticipated,” he said.

Australia won an unprecedented hat-trick of titles but the tournament was marred by the death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer, which was investigated as a murder until authorities declared it had been due to natural causes.—Agencies