Pakistan wants more World Cup matches

KARACHI: Pakistan have decided to press for the right to host more matches of the 2011 World Cup, which it will jointly host with India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) awarded the hosting rights of the World Cup to the four South Asian countries this year in April and under an initial agreement Pakistan is to host 16 games, including one semi final.

India would be hosting 22 matches and the final, Sri Lanka nine and a semi final and Bangladesh six games including the opening ceremony.

But sources said Pakistan is now having second thoughts about the number of matches they have got after India insisted on hosting the final.

"When Shaharyar Khan was Chairman of the Pakistan Board he had said that Pakistan would host 15 games and the final of the 2011 World Cup. But later India lobbied and pushed to have the final in Delhi instead besides the 22 group matches", one source in the Pakistan Board said.

"Since India have moved away from the earlier agreement, Pakistan now also want a larger share of the group matches and a meeting of the four boards is scheduled sometime in December to sort out this issue", the source said.

He said Pakistan's insistence on hosting more matches follows the ICC's decision to pay the home board $500,000 for each match it hosts in the tournament.

"If Pakistan organises 16 games it will earn $8 million but now it wants more games and more money as India is getting the showpiece final", the source added.