Next World Cup should be shorter, says ICC boss

COLOMBO, Sri Lanka (AP):

THE next Cricket World Cup in 2015 should be shorter, International Cricket Council (ICC) chief executive Haroon Lorgat acknowledged yesterday, although he insisted that 50-over international cricket is prospering.

Lorgat said market research had shown massive support for 50-over international cricket and he insisted one-day internationals (ODI) are not under threat from the immensely and increasingly popular Twenty20 cricket.

At a Sri Lankan Press Club conference, Lorgat said he rejected arguments that ODIs could not co-exist with Test matches and T20 cricket, but he admitted the ICC is looking to further reduce the length of the World Cup. This year's tournament, which is just reaching its climax, started February 19 and ends on April 2.

The six-week long tournament in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka is six days shorter than the last edition in 2007 in the Caribbean and Lorgat said a similar reduction could be possible in 2015.

"Hopefully we can work towards 2015 being further condensed,'' Lorgat said.

Organisers have already said the number of competing teams will be cut from 14 to 10.

Lorgat said the popularity of this year's World Cup had exceeded all expectations.

"The television audience has been the biggest in the tournament's history,'' he said.

The first three World Cups were held in England, in 1975, 1979 and 1983. It has grown significantly in scale and stature since, to the point where it is being staged in Asia for the third time and has been held in every continent that has a a Test-ranked team.

The qualifying group encounter between India and England, which ended in a high-scoring tie, was the most watched ODI in television history, Lorgat said. "And that record could well be smashed on Wednesday when India play Pakistan.''