’2011 Cricket World Cup to be short and effective’
Apart from Bob Woolmer’s unfortunate death, India’s shocking exit and Pakistan’s loss to Ireland, the 2007 ICC World Cup is also remembered for its excruciatingly lengthy format. Of course, the Australians won the title again, in fact thrice in succession. But that bit came after 49 days of cricket that seemed like never ending.
Compare that to the 1996 World Cup jointly hosted by India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka that finished in just 29 days or even the 1992 version, hosted by Australia and New Zealand, which got over in 31 days. They are vividly remembered for many reasons, one of them being for less time consuming.
The length of the tournament thus will be central to a discussion when delegates from the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the host nations for 2011 World Cup will meet for the first time in Mumbai on Tuesday. ICC CEO Haroon Lorgat and chief tournament director Prof Ratnakar Shetty will be among those who will play a huge role in trying to take the prized 50-over event back to its golden days.
‘‘After the 2007 World Cup, there has been some serious thinking on the matter,’’ Shetty said, referring to the format in West Indies which drew flak. ‘‘It is important to keep the interest, so yes, we will be working on giving a new look to the format. Draw examples from the 1996 World Cup which was short but effective,’’ he said on Monday.
One of the major concerns for the event will be the overdose of Twenty20 which has already caught the imagination of most cricket fans. Between now and 2011, there is another World T20 event, two more Indian Premier Leagues (IPL) and that many chances of the game’s shortest format ruling the roost. As much as there will be the need to keep the 50-over format alive, the focus will be on the 2011 World Cup more than anything else to deliver the required result.
‘‘T20 is definitely catching and there’s another World Cup. But we still firmly believe that 50-over format will have its own following,’’ says Shetty. His primary role, among other things, will be to lead all the three host nations in coordinating with the ICC. For India, former Mumbai spinner Suru Nayak has been appointed as BCCI’s host tournament director.
