With the world war of cricket sniffing distance away, here are some facts for the lovers of the sport
Sandeep Kumar Delhi
The world is readying to witness the biggest cricketing action as ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 unfolds in a fortnight. The 10th ICC World Cup will be the biggest world cup in the history as far as the number of participating teams is concerned. The 43 days event will jointly be hosted by three countries of the sub-continent, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.
This is the third time when the World Cup is being played in the Asian subcontinent. India is the only team which has been a host on all three occasion. Pakistan was also supposed to hold 14 matches of the forthcoming 2011 World cup but due to the 2009 attack on the Srilankan cricket team in Lahore, the ICC cancelled the holding rights of the neighbouring country.
The teams are divided into two groups with World Champion Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan New Zealand, Canada, Zimbabwe and Kenya in Group A. While co-hosts India, South Africa West Indies, England, Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands complete the other group. It would be an auspicious moment for Bangladesh as they will be hosting any world cup event for the first time. The tournaments begins on February 19, 2010 when India and Bangladesh face will battle it out at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.
Altogether 49 matches will be played on different stadia spread over three countries. The grand finale is slated for April 2, 2010 at the Wankhede stadium, Mumbai. Four time world champion Australia is again the hot favourite to take the trophy home. India, Sri Lanka and South Africa too are closing in the gap with a strong line-up. Australia won in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007. West Indies won in 1975 (the first World Cup) and 1979. India won the World Cup in 1983, Pakistan in 1992 and Sri Lanka won in 1996
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