Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad to host WC matches in Pakistan

[sohaib17]

Mumbai To Host 2011 Cricket World Cup Final - Lahore, Colombo Will Stage The Semi-Finals Of The Mega Event
Submitted by Rohit Bhandiye on Tue, 2007-06-19 06:25.

The organising committee for the 2011 Cricket World Cup has said that the inaugural ceremony of the mega event will be held in Dhaka, while Lahore and Colombo will host the semi-finals and finals will be held in Mumbai. It has also promised a spectator-friendly tournament with affordable ticket prices.

India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will be co-hosting the month-long extravaganza in four years' time.

"We promise a spectator-and media-friendly World Cup in four years time," said, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Chairman Sharad Pawar, after the organisers' first meeting in Bhurban, a northern hill resort near Islamabad.

"We will make unrelenting efforts to make the event a spectacular one so that more and more people come and watch the best cricket," Pawar was quoted as saying in 'The News'.

"We assure that prices of the tickets will be affordable to the local paying capacity," he added.

The committee also held discussions on the option of common visas for citizens of India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, based on the pattern the Caribbean nations adopted in the just concluded World Cup.

"The possibility of a common visa will also be explored through talks with the governments," said Pawar.

Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Nasim Ashraf said the committee will seek grants from the ICC for developing cricket grounds in all the four countries.

Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi and Faisalabad would host the World Cup matches in Pakistan.

Pakistan's eastern cultural hub at Lahore was chosen, as the headquarters of the World Cup 2011.

The four countries from the subcontinent beat the joint bid from Australia and New Zealand to stage the 2011 World Cup. Australia and New Zealand will now host the 2015 edition.

Besides Pawar and Ashraf, the meeting was attended by Bangladesh Cricket Board CEO Mehmood-ur-Rahman and Sri Lankan Cricket Board Chief Executive Dilip Mendies.

The next organising committee meeting will be held in India later this year.

[Disco_Lemonade]

No Peshawar??

[Plasma]

I don't mind this, if i am in pakistan at the time, three of those 4 grounds aren't too far away from where i live. Hope i can make it to at least the semi.

[Sheikh]

And the fourth one is right next to me!

I may fly over for the semi though...

[J-Essence]

man i am sick of being excluded in everything....why is everyone scared of our northern part of the country....we give this country unique traditions and culture, that should be exposed to the world to show that we are not backward or terrorists....every time there is a match in Peshawar, Pukhtoons come to see it in good spirit...wat sux is that our own countries cricket board is too scared to pick us as a venue......if they could pick Karachi where...people like daniel peal could be kidnapped, i see no reason why Peshawar should be excluded....we have raising passion for the game despite pcb's ignorance.....we might as well go play with Afghani's across the border....

[Asim2Good]

man i am sick of being excluded in everything....why is everyone scared of our northern part of the country....we give this country unique traditions and culture, that should be exposed to the world to show that we are not backward or terrorists....every time there is a match in Peshawar, Pukhtoons come to see it in good spirit...wat sux is that our own countries cricket board is too scared to pick us as a venue......if they could pick Karachi where...people like daniel peal could be kidnapped, i see no reason why Peshawar should be excluded....we have raising passion for the game despite pcb's ignorance.....we might as well go play with Afghani's across the border....

don't b so emotional, IIRC, test status from Peshawer been taken back by ICC as they there are not much facilities in stadium. I am not sure if stadium is under PCB or local authorities.

But I do agree, that PCB should make some new grounds in other cities of Pakistan as well and semi final should b given to Karachi and not Lahore. As Lahore already got final in 96 and think semi of 87 was also played there

[J-Essence]

don't b so emotional, IIRC, test status from Peshawer been taken back by ICC as they there are not much facilities in stadium. I am not sure if stadium is under PCB or local authorities.

But I do agree, that PCB should make some new grounds in other cities of Pakistan as well and semi final should b given to Karachi and not Lahore. As Lahore already got final in 96 and think semi of 87 was also played there

emotional? u kidding me, why shouldn't i be emotional...i have passion for cricket and my city....Peshawar stadium has been handed to pcb and most of the facilities in other venues are not up to the par but the point is that pcb will be spending money on all of them and i ve been to Peshawar stadium and it looks in much better shape than many believe.....well i hope to see the day when cricket comes back to my city...

[Asim2Good]

emotional? u kidding me, why shouldn't i be emotional...i have passion for cricket and my city....Peshawar stadium has been handed to pcb and most of the facilities in other venues are not up to the par but the point is that pcb will be spending money on all of them and i ve been to Peshawar stadium and it looks in much better shape than many believe.....well i hope to see the day when cricket comes back to my city...

when stadium been handed over to PCB ?

[Asim2Good]

and u know it's not only for Peshawer, but other majot cities as well where PCB don't invest as per cricket grounds are concerend. and same with other sports as well like hockey.
all organisations are stuck in 34 majors cities and don't want to expand the stadiums all over Pakistan.
and it's not only for shape of ground, but other facilities for media etc does count as well.

hopefuly if stadium been handed over to PCB, they will do some changes as per required and hopefully Hyderabad stadium gets some matches too after it's been handed over to PCB.

[Hash]

Peshawar stadium is under control of the local authority, not the PCB and its facilities are not up to scratch.

Four stadiums and the four picked are the best choices. Good move by the PCB.

[sameer]

there is 4 years time..at least they should include peshawer and work on facilities there..
where is multan by the way???

[waqararif11]

at least in the next world cup there will actually be crowds with people who sound like they're alive

[Mohsin]

They could only pick the 4 best stadiums in Pakistan, and these 4 stadiums are the only ones which get regular international test cricket. Also, the PCB's thinking is probably, that it is far more easier to upgrade stadiums that are already in not that bad a state, so less money can be spent, and the job doesnt have to be rushed (we saw what happened in the below par stadiums in the West Indies!), also another thing is that, as has been said before, not all the stadiums are under the PCB's control, but i would like to see Peshawar in the mix, but if you compare Peshwar's facilities with the four stadiums, you see a big big difference. Also, another thing is that the PM said that a brand new stadium is going to be built in Islamabad for the WC. Whats happened to those plans?

[J-Essence]

PESHAWAR, Jan 19: The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has signed three agreements with the NWFP government to upgrade the existing cricket infrastructure in the province. Talking to newsmen on Friday, soon after his meeting with the NWFP Chief Minister Mohammad Akram Khan Durrani, the PCB chief Dr Nasim Ashraf disclosed the NWFP government had agreed in principle to hand over the Arbab Niaz Stadium for its upgrading over the PCB expenses, to hold international games.

Dr Nasim added that the said stadium would be handed over to the PCB for four years with the Board getting the administrative control and rights to hold international matches there.

The PCB, he said, would upgrade the stadium in accordance with the international standards that include provision of electronic scoreboard, and floodlights.

It is significant to note here that the former NWFP governor Iftikhar Hussain Shah, during his tenure, had agreed to hand over the stadium’s administrative control to the PCB but due to different reasons it was delayed.

Now, the NWFP chief minister, during his meeting with Dr Nasim, not only agreed to hand over the Arbab Niaz Stadium to the PCB but also agreed to deliver a piece of land allocated for a cricket stadium, already planned at Regi Lulma Housing Scheme, located some three kms northwest of Hayatabad Residence Society. The PCB would also supply money allocated for the construction of the stadium in Regi Lulma, he expressed.

The PCB, Dr Nasim stated, would provide Rs 10.2 million separately for the upgrade and installation of floodlights at the Arbab Niaz Stadium besides Rs.10.5 million for the installation of electronic scoreboard there.

He added after developing the Arbab Niaz Stadium the ICC may not have any objection over holding ODIs and Tests at the venue.

Meanwhile, speaking to the journalists during a programme organised by the Sarhad Sports Writers Association here at the Peshawar Press Club, Dr Nasim said that Waqar Younis, Pakistan’s former bowling coach, set aside the set procedures while contacting him (Dr Nasim) on telephone to express his concerns over the decision to call him back to Pakistan after giving one-month training to the Pakistan team in South Africa.

"Waqar told me that he wants to resign as a mark of protest against it and in reply I asked him to resign before that,” he said.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/01/20/spt5.htm

[Disco_Lemonade]

J-Essence... i know how it feels as i myself live in karachi and it was frustrating when teams refused to play in karachi..

i wont believe what pcb officials say about it.. as i know how currupt those guys are. Peshawar should have been given WC matches fullstop.

[Asim2Good]

J-Essence... i know how it feels as i myself live in karachi and it was frustrating when teams refused to play in karachi..

i wont believe what pcb officials say about it.. as i know how currupt those guys are. Peshawar should have been given WC matches fullstop.

I don't think list is final one as Multan is missing as well from list.
there is still lot of time left, till 2011 Peshawer and may b Hyderabad ll b ready for international matches.

[Asim2Good]

SA ll play a 2nd ODI in Peshawer in their umcoming tour on 21 Oct. :)

[J-Essence]

SA ll play a 2nd ODI in Peshawer in their umcoming tour on 21 Oct. :)

ill be waiting with my empty pepsi cans and fire crackers

[ali hussein]

what about multan????

the stadium in multan is pretty good as well