2011 Cricket WC: India to stage 29 matches

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Tuesday announced that India will host 29 of the total 49 matches, including the final of the 2011 World Cup while Sri Lanka will stage 12 matches.

On top, the international governing body of cricket has also shifted the 2011 World Cup secretariat from Lahore to Mumbai. ICC’s latest move came after it removed Pakistan from the co-hosts list due to the security vulnerability and uncertain political situation.

Earlier, Pakistan was made to host 14 matches but those matches would now be played in the other three nations, of which eight matches and the opening ceremony will take place in Bangladesh.

After the meeting of Central Organising Committee (COC), ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: “It was a very constructive and decisive meeting with various working groups now charged with the responsibility to deliver on operational requirements.”

A total of 13 venues will be used in the tournament with eight of those in India, three in Sri Lanka and two in Bangladesh. This is the third time that the subcontinent is hosting the World Cup after 1987 and 1996.

Lorgat also set aside all fears that Pakistan would boycott the World Cup after being stripped as the co-host by saying: 'We will cross the bridge when we come to it'.

Ratnakar Shetty, Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) chief administrative officer, was appointed as the tournament director of the 2011 World Cup. He replaced Pakistani banker Salman Butt.

A special committee headed by BCCI chief Shashank Manohar will take up all security needs into concern after discussing with various participating countries.