India flexes financial muscle, Asian bloc bags 2011 World Cup

Dubai, Apr 30 (UNI) BCCI flexed its financial muscle and displayed its awesome clout as the Asian Bloc -- comprising India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh -- beat a joint Australia-New Zealand bid by a thumping 10-3 margin to bag the 2011 cricket World Cup.

In the ICC Executive Board meeting held here today, the Asian bloc needed just seven votes to win the right to host the event and they garnered 10 out of 13 votes.

The 2015 edition of the tournament will take place Down Under while England will host the 2019 World Cup as well as 2009 ICC Twenty20 World Championship.

Australia has also been awarded the right to host the 2009 Women's world Cup, while India will host the 2013 edition of the women's tournament.

Besides the 10 Test playing nations, three associate members -- Israel, UAE and Malaysia -- have voting rights.

Although the ICC top brace did not disclose the margin of victory, BCCI Vice-President Lalit Modi told a TV channel that the Asian bloc won 10-3.

Congratulate the four Asian members on earning the right to host the World Cup 2011, ICC President Ehsan Mani told a press conference after the meeting that ''Since turning up at the Board meeting in March with an unviable submission they 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.'' ''We can now prepare with confidence for what promises to be the biggest occasion that cricket fans in Asia and around the world will ever have seen,'' Mani said, adding that ''this is the first time that members interested in hosting ICC events have been required to produce submissions that fulfil strict hosting criteria and we have been delighted with the process.'' The ICC chief, however, admitted that the hosting of the World Cup 2011 was one of the most difficult decisions he can recall the Board having made as both submissions were ''exceptionally strong''.

He also congratulated Australia and New Zealand for their ''outstanding submission'' and for winning the right to host World Cup 2015.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan said it was a ''tremendous honour'' for the Asian countries though it would be a ''great challenge'' for them to host the mega event.

''The submissions process has been eye-opening for all of us.

I don't think we fully appreciated the volume of work that was required to produce a compliant submission and we are grateful to the ICC Board for allowing us extra time to complete this process.'' ''The rigour of the submissions process means we already have a good understanding of what we have to do over the next five years to be ready for the event. A passion for cricket unites our four countries and I am very confident that we will repay the faith shown in us by working together to deliver a wonderful tournament,'' Khan said.

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