2011 World Cup too far to even think about, says BCCI

New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS) As Cricket Australia (CA) gears up to raise security concerns with the International Cricket Council (ICC) over hosting of the 2011 World Cup in the terror-prone subcontinent, the Indian cricket board Monday said CA fears are unfounded as the event is too far away.

The ICC's Chief Executives' Committee (CEC) will meet this week at Cape Town and the security issues in the sub-continent is surely going to be a widely debated topic. With teams refusing to tour strife torn Pakistan and now India after the terror-attacks in Mumbai, questions are being raised on hosting the 2011 World Cup in the sub-continent.

Responding to the issues raised by CA, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary N. Srinivasan said the tournament is too far to even think about.

'Who knows what will happen in 2011? The World Cup is too far to even think about,' Srinivisan told IANS.

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are jointly scheduled to stage cricket's marquee tournament in February and March 2011.

CA chief executive James Sutherland Sunday said the safety and security issues surrounding the 2011 World Cup were 'bound to come up' next weekend following the recent terror strikes in Mumbai.

'All the teams have an international commitment and they have to play in India. I feel all the security issues will be sorted out,' BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla said.

According to media reports, if the decision to shift the venue is taken, then Australia and New Zealand who are to host the World Cup in 2015, become the possible choices.

'It has not been talked about but that may well have changed because of this Mumbai incident but one would hope the World Cup and other events that are planned for various places in the sub-continent can go ahead as planned,' Sutherland said.