According to Sri Lanka Cricket Competent Authority S. Liyanagama, the Hambantota International Cricket Stadium which will be constructed at “Meegahajandura” in the Hambantota District will be introduced to the ICC list as an alternate venue but will subsequently be named as one of the main venues to host World Cup matches to be played in Sri Lanka in February 2011.
“We are hoping to start construction work by the end of March. The major portion of the financing for this project will come from India and we have formalized the preliminary work,” said Liyanagama, who is also the secretary to the Ministry of Sports.
However, much is still to be done with the hosting of the World Cup 2011 proper in the Indian sub-continent. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – the four major players in cricket in the sub-continent -- are billed to host this event which will run for six weeks and have a maximum of 49 matches. Of the 15 World Cup venues, eight would be in India, four in Pakistan, two in Sri Lanka and one in Bangladesh.
According to Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Duleep Mendis, at present the first choices of the Sri Lanka venues were the R. Premadasa Stadium and the Rangiri Dambulla Stadium, venues where day-night matches could be held. He said two other stadiums have been named as alternate venues.
Last week the four neighbours met in earnest to cast aside differences and seek ways of hosting this gigantic event in the sub-continent. However, International Cricket Council (ICC) CEO Haroon Lorgat requested the 2011 Cricket World Cup organising committee to ‘consider shifting venues’ in case the political scenario in Pakistan worsened over the next 12 to 15 months.
According to reports coming from New Delhi, Lorgat while addressing a news conference after that crucial meeting of the 2011 World Cup Central Organising Committee said the turmoil in Pakistan was a "consideration" for the governing body which asked the organisers to consider alternate venues in case of an emergency.
Duleep Mendis explaining the matter to The Sunday Times said, “World Cup 2011 is a long way off and many changes could come by during that time frame. However, if there is a real need, the other three countries may have to share the rest of the matches.”
Sri Lanka is the only country that has toured Pakistan in recent times with Australia, England and India pulling out of their FTP tours for various reasons.
The ICC has placed Australia and New Zealand as the alternate venue if the Indian sub-continent finds it difficult to go-ahead with the hosting of the tournament.
Those present at the meeting were -- Pakistan Cricket Board President Ejaz Butt and CEO Saleem Altaf, BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan, Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty, Sri Lanka Cricket CEO Duleep Mendis and Bangladesh Cricket Board officials attended the meeting presided by the Organising Committee Chairman Sharad Pawar.
Meanwhile, the Stanford T20 series which was to be held just prior to the T20 World Cup in England had been cancelled with the fall from grace of American Cricketing Billionaire Sir, Alan Stanford.
Sri Lanka was billed to take part in this tournament which also featured England, New Zealand and a Stanford All Stars outfit.
The SLC CEO explaining the situation said, “Now that this tournament is out we must look out for some other warm-up matches preferably in the same format”.
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