After 14 Years, Cricket World Cup is finally returned to Asia (India-Sri Lanka-Bangladesh). Last time World Cup was hosted in Asia in 1996 and Sri Lanka emerge winners of the ICC Wills World Cup. Unfortunately, this time Pakistan will not host any games of 2011 world cup because of security concern.
ICC has tried their best to shorten the 2011 world cup as compared to 2007 world cup. So there will be 49 number of games will be played in 2011 as compared to 51 in 2007. Also the length of the tournament will be shorten by a week. Out of forty nine games, India will host 29 matches, Sri Lanka will host 12 matches and 8 games will be hosted by Bangladesh.
India will host one quarter final in Ahmedabad, one semi final in Mohali and Final of World Cup 2011 in Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. While Sri Lanka will host the 2nd quarterfinal and 1st semi final in R Premadasa Stadium, Colombo and Bangladesh will host 1st and 3rd quarterfinal in Mirpur, Dhaka.
Fourteen teams will participate in 2011 World Cup with 14 teams divided into two groups each containing seven teams. Group A contains Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Canada while Group B includes India, South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands.
The tournament will start with the game between India and Bangladesh on February 19th at Mirpur, Dhaka and tournament will ends with the Final on April 2 in renovated Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai. There will be total 13 venues will be used for the tournament.
First quarter final will be played on March 23rd in Mirpur, while second quarter final will be played on March 24th in Ahmedabad. Third quarterfinal will be played in Mirpur on 25th March and fourth quarterfinal will be hosted by Sri Lanka in Colombo on March 26th 2011. First semi final will be played on 29th March in Colombo and second semi final will be played on March 30th in Mohali.
Groups for the 2011 World Cup
Group A - Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Canada.
Group B - India, South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland, Netherlands.