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Sports
ICC committee proposes smaller
World Cup tournament
Kuala Lumpur: The ICC chief executives'
committee has recommended that the 2011 cricket World Cup be cut from
16 to 14 teams and given a new format.
The committee, which concluded its two-day meeting on Wednesday, said
if approved by the International Cricket Council Board next month, the
new 38-day format would feature two groups of seven with the top four
teams from each qualifying for the quarter-finals.
Last year's World Cup in the West Indies lasted 47 days and involved
an unwieldy format with four groups of four.
After a round-robin, the top two teams from each group advanced to the
Super Eights, which decided the semi-finalists. Australia beat Sri Lanka
in the final.
The 2011 World Cup is being co-hosted by India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka
and Bangladesh.
The meeting, chaired by ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed, also sought
reassurance from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) its
lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) would not overshadow tests and
one-day internationals.
"The members were pleased to receive very clear and unconditional
commitment from the BCCI that international matches would be given absolute
priority over IPL commitments," Speed said in a statement.
"There has been plenty of speculation about the impact that IPL
will have on the world game. The other ICC members are supportive of
the BCCI and will carefully evaluate the first year of the IPL and its
wider impact on the game in other parts of the world."
The committee also unanimously approved a proposal on the greater use
of technology in decision making which suggests trialling an 'umpire
decision review system' during a Test series.
In addition, the committee will suggest the ICC Board comes down hard
on players, officials and board members who break the Code of Conduct
with regard to public comments and bad behaviour.
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