India to host 11 more World Cup matches as Pak gets boot
29 Apr 2009
Pakistan's loss is India's gain, at least as far as cricket is concerned. The bulk of 2011 Cricket World Cup matches scheduled to be hosted by Pakistan have been switched to India. Pakistan, one of the four sub-continent co-hosts, was stripped of its 14 matches following safety concerns.
The tournament's organising committee decided in Mumbai on Tuesday that India will host 29 of the 49 matches, or about 60 per cent, across eight venues. Sri Lanka will host 12 games while Bangladesh will stage eight at two grounds, along with the opening ceremony on 18 February 2011.
Along with the final at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, India will now hold one semi-final and a quarter-final match. Sri Lanka will host the other semi-final.
International Cricket Council chief executive Haroon Lorgat, who attended the meeting with the cricket boards of the three countries, expressed confidence the necessary security measures would be put in place.
"We have formed in the central organising committee a security team to be directed by BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) president Shashank Manohar," said the South African.
"We recognise that it's important we instil confidence in the security measures we have in place. We have no doubt that we will be able to put together security plans that would successfully help host the World Cup in 2011,'' Lorgat added.
The Pakistan Cricket Board has already suffered substantial revenue losses following the cancellation of tours by Australia and India last year. With its removal as a co-host of the 2011 tournament, the combined loss of revenues in the past year is reportedly estimated at £27 million.