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Rediff.com  » Sports » '2011 event will be as big as FIFA World Cup'

'2011 event will be as big as FIFA World Cup'

Source: PTI
May 01, 2006 17:53 IST
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Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Marketing Committee member and former president I S Bindra on Sunday said the Asian bloc would make the 2011 World Cup "as big as football World Cup".

Bindra said the four subcontinent countries -- India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh -- would strive to make the 2011 event better than the two editions they had held before.

"I was fortunate enough to be associated with Asia's previous successful bids for the 1987 and 1996 tournaments.

"Both of those were great successes and we hope 2011 will represent a new landmark as a cricketing and sporting milestone," Bindra said after the Asian Test playing nations won the bid to host the cricket's flagship event in five years from now.

"We can promise that the 2011 Cricket World Cup will be as big as the football World Cup.

"In Asia you will see traffic stop, and massive television audiences and crowds for all the matches played."

BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah, who was in Dubai to help deliver the Asian presentation, said, "we worked hard as a group and we were all determined to get the Cricket World Cup. It has been a joint effort and this result is the fruits of those efforts."

The Asian bloc beat a joint proposal by Australia and New Zealand who were awarded the 2015 World Cup.

England, who withdrew their bid for 2015 event, bagged the right to host 2019 World Cup.

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Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Shaharyar Khan said Asia was "delighted to have been asked to host the event" and thanked the ICC for extending the deadline to submit the bid.

"The submissions process has been eye-opening for all of us," the PCB Chairman said.

"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.

"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."

ICC President Ehsan Mani lauded the Asian bloc's hard work in putting up a strong bid.

"Since turning up at the ICC Board meeting in March with an unviable submission they (Asia) have worked hard to satisfy the strict hosting criteria set by the ICC," Mani said.

"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."

The ICC chief also had words of comfort for Australia and New Zealand.

"Australia and New Zealand were very unfortunate to miss out on the 2011 event but it is very comforting to know that we already have in place an exceptionally strong host for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 and I congratulate both members for their outstanding submission," he said.

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