DUBAI, April 30: India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will co-host cricket’s World Cup in 2011 after beating off opposition from a joint Australia-New Zealand bid. At an International Cricket Council (ICC) executive board meeting here on Sunday, the Asian countries’ bid won the vote by 10 to three. The hosting of the 2015 tournament was awarded to Australia and New Zealand. In 2019, the event will be staged by England.

Australia and New Zealand co-hosted the 1992 World Cup and had been in line to stage the 2011 event after Asia (1996), England (1999), South Africa (2003) and the West Indies (2007) were each awarded the tournament. The ICC said last year, however, that they were scrapping their rotational policy in favour of event-by-event bidding after the subcontinent countries said they should be awarded every third World Cup because of the money they generated for the game.

ICC President Ehsan Mani said in a press release after Sunday’s vote: “Since turning up at the ICC board meeting in March with an unviable submission they (the four Asian countries) have worked hard to satisfy the strict hosting criteria set by the ICC.

“That a compliant submission was produced ahead of the final deadline earlier this month is testament to the capacity of these four countries to work together.”—Agencies