ICC to set deadline to confirm venues

The parent body would set a deadline for the West Indies Cricket Board to confirm the venues as it finds that the hosts were lagging behind in their preparations for World Cup.

International Cricket Council would soon set a deadline for the West Indies Cricket Board to confirm the World Cup venues as it finds that the hosts were lagging behind in their preparations for next year's mega event.

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Contingency plans have been drawn up to relocate matches from Grenada, Trinidad and Guyana because of hurricane and other problems including a fall back in construction schedules.

"There was a massive hurricane in Guyana two years back and it displaced thousands of people and caused immense loss there. The island and its government still has to make a complete recovery due to paucity of funds," a source well aware with the preparations for the World Cup was quoted as saying by The News on Thursday.

In this view, ICC is likely to set a deadline later this month, or in May, for the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) as the World Cup is scheduled to be held from late February to early April.

"Some of the islands who face no financial problems are very well prepared for the World Cup games but the ICC is certain to set a deadline after which, if an island is not prepared to host its games, these will be shifted to another island," the source said.