February 21, 2008	Thursday	Safar 13, 1429

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 20: The International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executives’ committee has recommended that the 2011 cricket World Cup be cut from 16 to 14 teams and given a new format.

The committee, which concluded its two-day meeting on Wednesday, said if approved by the ICC Board next month, the new 38-day format would feature two groups of seven with the top four teams from each qualifying for the quarter-finals.

Last year’s World Cup in the West Indies lasted 47 days and involved an unwieldy format with four groups of four.

After a round-robin, the top two teams from each group advanced to the Super Eights, which decided the semi-finalists.

Australia beat Sri Lanka in the final.

The 2011 World Cup is being co-hosted by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The meeting, chaired by ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed, also sought reassurance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) its lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) would not overshadow Tests and One-day internationals.

“The members were pleased to receive very clear and unconditional commitment from the BCCI that international matches would be given absolute priority over IPL commitments,” Speed said in a statement.

“There has been plenty of speculation about the impact that IPL will have on the world game. The other ICC members are supportive of the BCCI and will carefully evaluate the first year of the IPL and its wider impact on the game in other parts of the world.”

The committee also unanimously approved a proposal on the greater use of technology in decision making which suggests trialling an ‘umpire decision review system’ during a Test series.

In addition, the committee will suggest the ICC Board comes down hard on players, officials and board members who break the Code of Conduct with regard to public comments and bad behaviour.—Reuters