Live 2011 Cricket World Cup Match

Harbhjan Singh is confident that Indian team has the talent to do well in the World Cup, and hopeful that they will live up to the expectations (04:29)

Despite criticising the scheduling, Kevin Pietersen believes England have a good chance to win the tournament for the first time. (00:48)

Part four: Viv Richards talks about Collis King's brilliant innings, Joel Garner's devastating spell, and what the win meant to the team (12:50)

Part three Viv Richards speaks about what made Pakistan tough opposition, what West Indies' success meant back home, and on Lloyd's influence (10:07)

Part two: Viv Richards talks about the West Indies pace attack, the prospect of playing against the old enemy, and his cricket philosophy (08:07)

Part one: Viv Richards looks back at the 1979 tournament, coming to terms with the post-Packer era, and what made West Indies strong contenders (09:23)

The ICC has confirmed the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore as the venue for the India-England World Cup game that was originally supposed to be held in Kolkata. There was no change in the date of the match - it will be held on February 27.

"This decision now clarifies and gives us certainty over the fixture," ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said. "We can now work with our various partners and stakeholders to make sure that the match - along with the rest of the tournament - is all it should be."

In a letter to the BCCI, the ICC also outlined the pending work that had to be done to get Eden Gardens ready for the World Cup. Kolkata was originally allotted three other matches for the tournament, the first of which is on March 15. The ICC said an inspection team will visit Eden Gardens on February 7 to see the progress made before deciding on the fate on those three matches.

The BCCI had nominated Bangalore as its preferred venue for the India-England match after the ICC had ruled out Kolkata last week.

The India-England fixture will now be the most high profile World Cup game for Bangalore, which hosts four other group games. Only one of those feature the home team, while all of them pit a minnow against a strong side.

England batsman Kevin Pietersen has termed his side's hectic schedule leading up to the World Cup as 'ridiculous'. England will leave for the World Cup in the subcontinent just three days after their ongoing tour of Australia, which began in October last year.

"Our schedule is ridiculous going into this World Cup," Pietersen told PA. "It has been for England teams for a very long time, and that's probably why England have not done well in World Cups."

Pietersen also criticised the format of the six-week long tournament, saying the gaps between matches were too long. "How can the England team play once and then in six days' time play again, and then in six days' time play again," he asked. "It's ridiculous but there's nothing we can do about the schedules. I wouldn't say we're going to be knackered because it's going to be the World Cup, and we all want to win this World Cup."

Despite being unimpressed with the itinerary, Pietersen felt that England had a good chance of following up their maiden ICC title victory in last year's World Twenty20 with their first World Cup triumph. England have shown vast improvement in the limited-overs format in the last two years, winning nine of their previous ten bilateral ODI series before losing steam early to concede the ongoing seven-match ODI series against Australia.

Pietersen credited England's resurgence to enhanced skills in all departments of their game. "The batsmen have improved, the fielding is top-notch, our catching is incredible, our bowling is so skilful. I just think our skill levels are really, really good."

Harbhajan Singh has said that India's performance during the recent South Africa series will have little bearing on their World Cup campaign. India drew a Test series in South Africa for the first time, won the only Twenty20, and an under-strength one-day side led the five-match series 2-1 before losing the final two games.

"From my personal experience, I can tell you that our good show in South Africa may give us a bit of confidence but that's about it," Harbhajan told PTI. "Doing well in bouncy pitches in South Africa and playing in the World Cup is a different ball game altogether."

He gave the example of the 2003 World Cup, when India reached the final on the back of a forgettable tour of New Zealand. "If you remember, we had a disastrous tour of New Zealand where we lost in both Test and ODI series," he said. "But when we played in the World Cup, it was a different story. We dominated New Zealand and went on to play the final. That's why I feel that a bilateral series can never be an indicator to a team's performance in a big event."

India go into the World Cup starting next month as one of the favourites, and Harbhajan said the form of the youngsters in the team would be a big factor in how far India progress. "I have loads of expectations from guys like Virat [Kohli], Yusuf [Pathan] and [Suresh] Raina. They have had enough exposure in international cricket and I am really hopeful that they would come up trumps."

Ramnaresh Sarwan, the West Indies batsman, has said he is happy to return to the national fold after being named in the 15-man squad for the World Cup, and is keen to hit form during the ODI series against Sri Lanka starting on January 31. Sarwan last played for West Indies in the ODI series at home against South Africa in May and June 2010. He was subsequently dropped due to fitness issues and indifferent form on the domestic circuit. He also wasn't offered a West Indies central contract.

"It feels really great to be back," Sarwan said in Colombo. "We had a really good workout today and so far I am just happy to fit into the team again. We have a very good team vibe going and it is very important that we maintain that and build on that. It is also important that we get off to a good start in this series and try to get that early momentum."

West Indies play three ODIs on their tour of Sri Lanka. The series was postponed because of poor weather during West Indies' tour late last year, with the Test series being marred by persistent rain. The matches during the ODI series were initially scheduled to be held in Hambantota and the renovated Premadasa Stadium in Colombo, two of the three Sri Lankan venues for the World Cup, but the ICC didn't permit the venues to be used for international games just prior to the quadrennial event. Instead, all three ODIs will be played at the SSC.

"The pitch at the SSC is normally a good one for batting," Sarwan said. "I have done well here (in Sri Lanka in Tests) before. I am just hoping to maintain the same level of success I have had before, make a major contribution to the team, and try to bat us into winning positions."

"The greatest dream is to win the World Cup for all the people of the Caribbean and all those around the world who support us. We have to give Darren (Sammy) our full support. Obviously, he is still a bit new to the job as captain so it is important that he gets our full backing. We need to be consistent as a team and that would give us a really good chance of winning."

West Indies and Sri Lanka have, unsurprisingly, picked their World Cup squad for the three-match series.

The ICC has rejected the BCCI's request to reconsider moving the Group B match between India and England from Kolkata. The BCCI has recommended that the match, initially scheduled to be held at the Eden Gardens on February 27, be shifted to Bangalore. The ICC has given the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) 10 days to get Eden Gardens in shape for the other three World Cup matches that are scheduled to be held in Kolkata.

On Thursday, the ICC, after many deliberations, ruled out Kolkata as a host venue after its inspection team deemed the stadium unfit and expressed strong concerns about various facilities in the ground being ready in time for the game. Following the decision, the CAB president, Jagmohan Dalmiya, sent a plea to the ICC through the BCCI asking for a ten-day extension to finish the remaining work. Dalmiya received support from Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president, who sent in a separate "forwarding letter" to ICC chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, echoing the CAB's request.

However, Lorgat said the ICC could not be swayed at the last minute and conveyed his message to Manohar in an email late Friday night. "I told him the ICC could not accommodate the request," Lorgat told ESPNcricinfo. "There was too much of planning and too much of logistics that would be involved,"

It is understood that the ICC refused to climb down from its original stance because, having spoken to its stadium and ground-preparation experts again, the consensus remained that there was no guarantee Eden Gardens would be ready for the February 27 game. The feeling at the ICC was that Dalmiya, having found himself in a tight corner, was acting out of desperation. They believed things could not be sorted out in ten days, especially since Dalmiya had conceded to the ICC's inspection team on their January 25 visit that a further 20 days would be needed to get the ground ready.

The status of the other three group matches scheduled to be hosted by Kolkata - Ireland v Holland, South Africa v Ireland and Zimbabwe v Kenya - remains unclear at the moment. The ICC has clarified that there will be no further inspections of the venue. It is for the BCCI and CAB to let them know if Kolkata can host those three matches.

"The big commercial game was India v England. The other matches involve Associates, which cannot be big money spinners. It is now for the CAB to take a call and if they want to save the face, they could get the ground ready for the other three matches," an official close to the negotiations said.

Manohar, who had said on Friday that the ball was in the ICC's court regarding the decision, told DNA that the ICC was well within its rights to refuse the plea for reconsideration. "This is an ICC tournament and it has every right to decide on this," he said. "We've tried our best for the CAB but the final word was always going to be the ICC's."

Following are the outstanding issues at Eden Gardens which forced the ICC to pull the plug on the venue. These are some of the salient points listed in the final Venue Inspection Report (a copy available to ESPNcricinfo), dated January 25, prepared by the inspection panel of Ratnakar Shetty, Campbell Jamieson, Chris Tetley and Professor Eugene van Vuuren.

Major works to complete

• Completion of roof structure
  

• Installation of bucket seating
  

• Removal of workers' accommodation units from within the venue
  

• Completion of corporate boxes
  

• Completion of security perimeter fencing
  

• The precinct around the entire venue along with the security perimeter requires a concerted effort to complete.
  

• Confirmation of lighting levels post construction of new roofing structures
  

• Installation of entry gates
  

• Extension to both main camera gantries which would provide sufficient space for all cameras required to cover a game, and to cover both pitches that will be used.
  

• New midwicket camera position to be constructed since the previous location is now obscured by the new stand construction and the replay screen
  

• No plans have been provided as to the building program for the venue
  

• No certification of any aspects (health and safety, disaster management) of the venue has been submitted or offered
  

• There is no acknowledgement of the agreements relating to ICC ticket requirements and to providing suitable hospitality facilities for ICC sponsors.
  

• The corporate suites on both sides of the main stands need to be finished.
  

• New electronic replay screens are to be installed as there is one manual scoreboard at the moment.
  

• The position of the radio commentators on the lower level must be reconsidered as the commentators will constantly be under pressure from the spectators in front of them and having police to manage crowds is not viable.
  

• With regards to the power supply, at the moment the stadium uses generators as back-up in an emergency. It should instead be changed to UPS.

Pakistan are likely to announce a captain for the World Cup within the next few days, possibly even before the fourth ODI of the current series against New Zealand scheduled for February 1. Indications, for the moment, lean towards the Test captain Misbah-ul-Haq taking over from Shahid Afridi, the current ODI skipper, for cricket's showpiece event. But the situation remains fluid and Misbah's chances were far greater a few days ago; a comfortable win over New Zealand on Saturday, with a starring role from Afridi, will no doubt impact on the final decision.

The PCB announced a 15-man World Cup squad earlier this month, but much to the surprise of almost everyone, didn't name a skipper for the event. Afridi has been Pakistan's ODI captain over the last year but just before the New Zealand tour began, a number of key players and team management officials raised concerns with the board over his captaincy. The development placed the board in a quandary, between players and the captain, ultimately compelling them to delay the announcement.

Expectedly the decision has been slammed by a number of ex-players, most notably Inzamam-ul-Haq; the broad feeling of discontent doesn't revolve around the personalities as much as the instability inherent in such a situation. The board and the chairman Ijaz Butt, it is believed, have no real issue with Afridi remaining captain, but such are the nature of the concerns the players and team management have, that the board has found itself having to choose sides.

It is understood that players are mostly unhappy with Afridi's regular and very public assessments of his side's performances, mostly when they have been critical. In addition, Afridi's statements to the ICC with reference to the spot-fixing case involving three Pakistani players have also been felt by some players in the current squad to have been incendiary and unnecessary. Though local reports suggested that a group of senior players had thrown their support behind Afridi, players such as Kamran Akmal and Misbah still hold reservations.

The inability of Afridi and vital members of the team management to gel with each other has not helped matters; one important management official is thought to have pushed particularly forcefully for Misbah's elevation to the captaincy over the last few weeks in New Zealand.

The delay has allowed the board chairman to travel to New Zealand to hold discussions with Afridi, senior players and management officials before making a decision. In a meeting before the team departed Butt also advised Afridi to try and improve his interaction with players over the course of the series. These meetings will ultimately decide who is to be appointed.

On paper, Afridi's record as captain is not hugely impressive, with seven wins and 10 losses in 18 games (and one no-result). He averages nearly 36 with the bat in that time, including two hundreds in Sri Lanka, and well over his career numbers. And though the 25-ball 65 against New Zealand in Christchurch on Saturday was his first fifty in 12 ODIs, he has, on five occasions, made scores between 24-49, which given the way Afridi bats and the position he bats at, are often vital hands.

His bowling has not been as incisive, taking only 17 wickets in that span and generally going for runs. But in pushing ODI series against England and South Africa to the final game each time, in overseeing several fightbacks in tough circumstances Afridi would seem to have built up some credit.

Misbah's case for captaincy, on paper, is weaker. He has not been part of the ODI set-up for much of the last year; in fact, he only played two ODIs in 2010 and was dropped midway through the series against South Africa. His often poor strike-rate also works against him, and if Younis Khan is in the playing XI, robs Pakistan of some power in the middle. But he has built up momentum from his Test exploits, where he has been in exceptional form with the bat and has just led Pakistan to a drought-breaking Test series win.

The ICC has rejected the BCCI's request to reconsider moving the Group B match between India and England from Kolkata. The match, scheduled to be held at the Eden Gardens on February 27, will now be played at an alternate venue, which the Indian board needs to finalise by January 31.

On Thursday, the ICC, after many deliberations, ruled out Kolkata as a host venue after its inspection team deemed the stadium unfit and expressed strong concerns about various facilities in the ground being ready in time for the game. Following the decision, the Cricket Association of Bengal president, Jagmohan Dalmiya, sent a plea to the ICC through the BCCI asking for a ten-day extension to finish the remaining work. Dalmiya received support from Shashank Manohar, the BCCI president, who sent in a separate "forwarding letter" to ICC chief executive, Haroon Lorgat, echoing the CAB's request.

However, Lorgat said the ICC could not be swayed at the last minute and conveyed his message to Manohar in an email late Friday night. "I told him the ICC could not accommodate the request," Lorgat told ESPNcricinfo. "There was too much of planning and too much of logistics that would be involved,"

It is understood that the ICC refused to climb down from its original stance because, having spoken to its stadium and ground-preparation experts again, the consensus remained that there was no guarantee Eden Gardens would be ready for the February 27 game. The feeling at the ICC was that Dalmiya, having found himself in a tight corner, was acting out of desperation. They believed things could not be sorted out in ten days, especially since Dalmiya had conceded to the ICC's inspection team on their January 25 visit that a further 20 days would be needed to get the ground ready.

The status of the other three group matches scheduled to be hosted by Kolkata - Ireland v Holland, South Africa v Ireland and Zimbabwe v Kenya - remains unclear at the moment. The ICC has clarified that there will be no further inspections of the venue. It is for the BCCI and CAB to let them know if Kolkata can host those three matches.

"The big commercial game was India v England. The other matches involve Associates, which cannot be big money spinners. It is now for the CAB to take a call and if they want to save the face, they could get the ground ready for the other three matches," an official close to the negotiations said.

Zimbabwe batsman Tino Mawoyo insists he is ready for the challenge of the World Cup after receiving a surprise call-up to replace Sean Ervine, who pulled out of the squad for the tournament due to personal reasons.

"I was both excited and a bit surprised when I got the news," said Mawoyo. "I was disappointed to have been left out at first just like all the players that have not been included, but despite having been left out I have been working hard all along so I think I will be as ready as the other guys when the World Cup starts."

Mawoyo, an opening batsman who played two one-day internationals against Bangladesh in 2006, has been one of the more consistent batsmen on the domestic limited-overs scene over the past two seasons. He furthered his claims for national selection with some impressive innings in the unofficial Test series against New Zealand in October last year, and his entry to the World Cup squad will also give the team more options at the top of the innings.

"There is a slight change in the dynamics of the side as we lost a batsman we could have got some seam from," explained national coach Alan Butcher. "On the other hand now we have a batsman who is used to opening the batting. I was comfortable with the options we had in that regard but now we have somebody who is used to taking the new ball at the top order and whose natural inclination is to play shots."

"Tino has done well to improve on his fitness, as asked to, and he has had some rewards for his hard work," added Butcher. "He has shed some weight and we can push that along for the next few weeks. Let's hope that he takes to our regime for people to become fit and strong and at the same time compete in that way against other teams. We'll get a good idea about how his attitude and mind work by the end of the tournament."

Mawoyo was in ebullient mood after being asked to join the squad and suggested that if Zimbabwe play to their strengths they could upset some of the bigger teams at the tournament. "We have always shown we are a good team," he said. "We can get positive results against some of the big guns in our group if we apply ourselves fully. Everybody is excited and raring to go so I have a feeling it will be a successful outing for us."

Mawoyo's words will have pleased Butcher, who expressed his hope that the Zimbabweans would approach the World Cup with a spirit of fun and adventure. "Pressure and opportunity are different sides of the same coin and I hope our people will look at it as an opportunity and an adventure rather than being under pressure," he said.

"There are other teams in the world cup that will be under more pressure than Zimbabwe and that is purely because their expectations will be greater. We have our own expectations but the more we can look at it as an opportunity to showcase individual and collective talent, rather than something that should stop us from performing, the better."

National team assistant coach Steven Mangongo added that he expected Mawoyo, who he suggested had been unlucky to miss out on selection in the past, to make the most of this opportunity. "It's a big opportunity for him to finally get his international career going," said Mangongo. "I always thought he was one player that had been left out who deserved to be in the squad. He is one of the few specialist openers that we have and we hope he takes this opportunity with both hands and does the job."

England allrounder Tim Bresnan has vowed to be fit for England's first match of the World Cup, insisting that regular physiotherapy will have him "raring to go" when the tournament starts. Bresnan picked up a calf injury during the second ODI against Australia at Hobart, ruling him out of the remainder of the seven-match series.

The World Cup gets underway in the subcontinent on February 20, with England beginning their campaign against Netherlands two days later. With England currently 3-1 down against Australia, weaknesses in the batting and bowling departments have been exposed and Andy Flower will be keen to have the likes of Bresnan and Stuart Broad back in contention for their first World Cup outing in Nagpur.

"The injury is coming on well," Bresnan, who is back in the UK for treatment on his injury, told Sky Sports News. "I'm quite confident of being fit for the first game of the World Cup. I've been told some good news in the last couple of days and I'm having some physio every day up until we leave, so I'm putting my full trust in them [the medical team] that they'll get me ready to go."

Bresnan added that he thought Graeme Swann, who has also flown home with back and knee problems, would be available for selection for England's opener, and is expecting everyone to feel refreshed when they tackle their next challenge. "Hopefully everyone's going to be raring to go for that first game. Hopefully everyone's rested as well so that we are ready to go."

After helping England win the Ashes with a 3-1 series triumph, Bresnan admits the team are targeting the world No. 1 spot. "For that we need consistency," he said. "If you look at the way the ranking system works it's all about consistency, it's not about having a couple of good series here and there. It's about consistently winning games of cricket. With the strength and depth we've got in the ranks, the next target is definitely being the No. 1 in the world."

Michael Holding on nearly dropping the 1979 World Cup, the stand between two kings, the strength of the post-Packer West Indies, and more (17:15)

Part six of an ICC documentary that looks at the rise of the Associates and their quest for a place in the World Cup (09:39)

Part eight of an ICC documentary that looks at the rise of the Associates and their quest for a place in the World Cup (08:16)

Part nine of an ICC documentary that looks at the rise of the Associates and their quest for a place in the World Cup (11:00)

Part one of an ICC documentary that looks at the rise of the Associates and their quest for a place in the World Cup (09:41)

Part two of an ICC documentary that looks at the rise of the Associates and their quest for a place in the World Cup (09:24)

Part three of an ICC documentary that looks at the rise of the Associates and their quest for a place in the World Cup (10:45)

Part ten of an ICC documentary that looks at the rise of the Associates and their quest for a place in the World Cup (10:05)

More questions than answers for Strauss: is it time for a change in personnel? Plus Dale Steyn on South Africa's World Cup chances (36:48)

Indian star hopes to encourage more young people to 'get the facts, protect yourself', as part of the ICC's Think Wise partnership with UNAIDS and UNICEF promoting HIV prevention. (02:12)

Part four of an ICC documentary that looks at the rise of the Associates and their quest for a place in the World Cup (10:58)

Part five of an ICC documentary that looks at the rise of the Associates and their quest for a place in the World Cup (10:24)

Part one: Clive Lloyd looks back at the 1975 tournament: West Indies' slight advantage, finding a replacement for Sobers, and being in a tough group (06:02)

Part four: Clive Lloyd speaks about the final: the crowd support, Richards' run-outs, and the chaos at the end (08:51)

Part three: Clive Lloyd talks about how West Indies took on Australia - Lillee and Thomson in particular - in the league stages and came out on top (09:38)

Part two: Clive Lloyd talks about the thriller against Pakistan, where Roberts and Murray dragged West Indies home by the skin of their teeth (07:37)

Ian Chappell on Ricky Ponting's blistering 140, which shut India out of the 2003 World Cup final (01:53)

Former England coach and current South Africa batting consultant, Duncan Fletcher, gives his views on the upcoming cricket World Cup (02:51)

South Africa bounced back well to win the series, they are a balanced side and should be one of the contenders for the World Cup (02:35)

Ravi Bopara says he is gutted to have missed selection for the Ashes tour and the World Cup, but will keep working to improve his game. (01:25

Matt Prior is in the England World Cup squad. Is he Strauss's perfect partner? Plus, Samit Patel proves too heavy a burden (31:25)

Matt Prior, the England wicketkeeper, talks about his call up to the World Cup squad (01:27)

England named their 15-man squad for next month's World Cup with Matt Prior's recall the only major surprise. (01:39)

Ireland World Cup squad member Gary Wilson is delighted to be called up for the tournament in Asia. (03:56)

Geoffrey Boycott on what made Paul Collingwood a special Test player and why the IPL will continue to rake in millions (09:13)

Ian Chappell recalls the 1975 World Cup, including playing Canada in the build-up, PR in England, and the camaraderie between the Aussies and and the West Indians (30:19)

Kris Srikkanth, chairman of the national selection committee, says that they selected the best possible team for the subcontinental conditions (08:51)

Former England coach and current South Africa batting consultant, Duncan Fletcher, gives his views on the upcoming cricket World Cup in subcontinent (01:54)

Former South Africa captain Ali Bacher on whether South Africa will break the jinx in this year's World Cup in the subcontinent (02:57)

The president of Cricket Canada, Ranjit Saini, has asked the ICC to step in and resolve the delay in granting India visas to three players of Pakistani origin in their World Cup squad. The team left for Dubai for a 10-day training camp ahead of the tournament, but vice-captain Rizwan Cheema, Khurram Chohan and Hamza Tariq have still not received permission to travel to India.

"We seek your kind help and attention to this matter in assisting our players to obtain their visa in Dubai, Dhaka or Colombo," Saini wrote in a letter to ICC president Sharad Pawar. "We also do hope that the ICC has contingency plans to ensure that the matches are played elsewhere if the visa will not be processed on time or rejected all together."

Canada made a pre-World Cup preparatory visit to India in November and the visas were applied for before that. While the rest of the team had no trouble, the three Pakistan-born players were ruled out of the trip, forcing the team to go ahead without them. "We couldn't take these players to India and as a result our training plans have suffered," Saini told the Pakistan's Daily Mail earlier this month. "[It's] a source of distraction and is hurting team morale in general."

Canada will play practice matches against Ireland and Afghanistan in Dubai before heading to Bangladesh for their two official warm-up games against Bangladesh and England. They will face Sri Lanka in their opening game of the tournament on February 20 and their first game in India is scheduled for February 28 against Zimbabwe. While the ICC already assured Canada that the visa's will be granted, the association said in a statement on its website that the current situation left it in an awkward position.

Jagmohan Dalmiya, the president of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), has appealed to the ICC, through the Indian board, asking for the deadline for completion of work at Eden Gardens to be extended till February 7. Earlier on Thursday, Kolkata was stripped of the high-profile World Cup match between India and England after the ICC ruled that the venue would not be ready in time for the February 27 game.

"We confirm that we will hand over a completed Eden Gardens to the ICC on February 7," PTI quoted Dalmiya as saying in a letter to BCCI president Shashank Manohar. "We kindly request the ICC through you to elaborate on the specific requirements to ensure that we hand over the ready venue by February 7.

"We feel that we are already in a position to host the match. Despite this, we will take cognizance of ICC's concerns pertaining to cricketing operations, media, broadcast and sponsorship facilities."

The ICC's inspection team gave the green-light to four other World Cup venues they visited - the Wankhede, which will host the final, and the Sri Lankan stadiums. "It is also pertinent to note that three Sri Lanka venues - Colombo, Hambantota and Pallekele as well as Wankhede in Mumbai have been given extension for 14 days," Dalmiya said. "Logically the CAB should also have been given at least till February 7 for handing over the venue prior to the India-England tie. It is an extension of 10 days and not the 14 days given to the others."

Dalmiya also explained the rationale behind asking for an extension. "The ICC consultant feels that we would be able to complete the stadium work by February 22 and if we do so then we would be able to host the remaining three matches scheduled on March 15, 18 and 20," he wrote. "So it will be 20 days before the games when ICC wants to take up the venue. We are at loss to understand why the ICC is taking away the India vs England match 30 days prior to the fixture."

While the BCCI have washed their hands of the fiasco, the CAB deputy joint secretary Biswarup Dey said he couldn't understand the decision to shift the match as the stadium was ready. "We were confident of hosting the match," Dey told PTI. "There is no question of being behind schedule. Everything is built ... the entire stadium has been renovated. We have not received any communication from the ICC. I don't know why they have taken the decision."

BCCI president Shashank Manohar has said that the Indian board cannot be blamed for the events that led to the shifting of the World Cup match between India and England at Eden Gardens. The responsibility for organising the World Cup, Manohar said, lay with the ICC. "According to me this (World Cup) is an ICC event," Manohar told ESPNcricinfo. "The venues were selected by ICC. The inspection was made by ICC. The board [BCCI] was not at all involved in this."

Manohar said that the ICC had only informed the BCCI about its decision on Thursday afternoon. "I was informed about the news through an e-mail today afternoon. So finally now that the ICC has told us that the venue is not ready we will give the alternate venue," Manohar said. But was there any kind of assurance the BCCI was offering the thousands of fans, many of whom had finalised their travel and match tickets months in advance? "The game would be played in India," was all Manohar said.

It is understood that the final decision to move the match was arrived at after a conference call between the ICC top brass and Ratnakar Shetty, the World Cup director who was in India. The biggest fear was the supposed casualness of officials at Cricket Association of Bengal [CAB], the host association. An ICC source revealed that the CAB officials "hoped" that the ground could be ready by February 24. "And that, too, they said hopefully. How can one allow that two days before a World Cup match," the official wondered.

According to him the CAB officials displayed a high-handed approach when the ICC team was checking for specifics on match operations, tickets and hospitality. "Their only interest was to know if they were going to be given the nod to host the matches," the official said. When the CAB was informed that the inspection team did not have the right to take a final call, it did not sit well with the local officials.

Some of the things the ICC panel was interested in knowing was the location of the corporate boxes for the event sponsors and the ICC officials and guests. That was a big concern because sponsors get a certain number of tickets as part of their contractual obligations with the ICC.

According to one event organising committee member, whenever the ICC conducts an event it normally signs a contract with regards to tickets and related matters with the member board. But this time the BCCI has allowed the staging associations at the eight Indian venues to deal with the issue which is proving to be a hurdle.

The other question about whether Kolkata would remain the host for the rest of the three group matches involving South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ireland, Kenya and Netherlands still hangs in balance. "The ICC will inspect the venue on January 31 and take a decision by February 1 as to whether it would be possible to host the other three games," Manohar said. "Otherwise three alternate venues will need to be found."

Earlier in the day the ICC decided to strip Kolkata as the venue for the February 27 match between India and England, one of the few marquee contests during the month-long group stage. The decision came as a surprise to many because only a couple of days ago, Shetty had asserted that there were no concerns with regards to any of the 13 venues. Shetty was addressing the media after the final inspection of the Eden Gardens on January 25.

But ICC sources have indicated that the six-man ICC panel - comprising Eugene Vanvueren (ICC stadium consultant) , Campbell Jameson (ICC general manager, commercial), Chris Tetley (ICC event manager), Suru Nayak (tournament director, India), Dhiraj Malhotra (ICC tournament director) and Shetty - had expressed disappointment about the progress of the stadium's readiness.

Meanwhile there was no clarity yet on the tickets that have been sold. According to Manohar it is the ICC which needs to decide on the matter. However, the ICC is far from finding a solution at the moment. "The tournament director is trying to work out a strategy on the tickets issue," the tournament official said. "We are not sure if refunds should be granted or tickets that have been already bought can be allowed to swap at the new venue."

According to Shirley Rattray, manager of Cricket Logistics, the ICC's official tour partner, the most pressing issue is for a rapid decision to be reached on the new venue, so that flights and accommodation can be rebooked for the thousands of spectators who are planning their itineraries around the fixture.

"England v India is the biggest game of all the group games," Rattray told ESPNcricinfo. "It was the most popular because Eden Gardens is such an iconic venue to watch cricket. A match there is regarded as one of the sporting things to do before you die, so it's a big shame that the game has had to be moved.

"Reallocating the tickets is one thing, but moving the flights and accommodation is another," Rattray added. "But as soon as we know what venue we've got, then we can get our ground handlers on the case to put it into place. It's never easy when things like this happen, but it will get done. That's the way things work in India, things can be turned around at the last minute very quickly."

For those fans travelling independently, however, their money may already be down the drain. "This is the only match I'd actually bought tickets for in advance, because the interest is so high," said Emily Crick, an England supporter who has made five previous tours of India. "I've also bought a flight from Kolkata down to Chennai so I doubt I'll get a refund on that, and whatever venue they choose, it will only be half the capacity, so most of the people who booked won't be able to get seats anyway."

In a major embarrassment to the BCCI, the ICC has ruled out Eden Gardens as the host of the game between India and England on February 27. The ICC's inspection team, which included some of the leading experts in the field of stadium and ground preparation, felt that Eden Gardens would not be ready in time. No alternate venue for the match has yet been named. The Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai and the three World Cup stadiums in Sri Lanka were all given the go-ahead by the ICC.

"Regrettably, Eden Gardens has not made sufficient progress to justify the level of confidence required to confirm that the venue would be ready in good time," Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, said. "This was no easy decision to take and while it is most unfortunate, it is absolutely necessary." The Cricket Association of Bengal is having an emergency meeting to discuss the development.

Kolkata was to host three other matches in the World Cup, but the status of those games is still unclear. "At this stage no decision has been taken on those matches," an ICC spokesperson said. The India-England clash was the only chance for fans in Kolkata to see the home side.

The news of switching the match from Kolkata comes just two days after the tournament director, Ratnakar Shetty, waved away worries over readiness of World Cup venues. Media personnel had been barred from a recent inspection of Eden Gardens.

The venue, one of the largest cricket stadiums in the world, has hosted some of the highest-profile matches of the previous two World Cups held in the subcontinent including the final in 1987 and the semi-final in 1996. No international matches have been held in Kolkata since the Test between India and South Africa in February as the stadium was being renovated.

"All venues had ample time in which to prepare for World Cup matches," Lorgat said. "We had been understanding and had provided extensions to the deadline dates but unfortunately we are now at a point where we must carefully manage our risks.

"The Central Organising Committee had provided venues with a deadline of 30 November 2010 to complete all construction work and then to be match-ready by 31 December 2010. An extension was granted by the ICC for five venues, which were again inspected over the past week. Sadly, Eden Gardens in Kolkata was unable to meet the final deadline date of 25 January 2011."

The ICC is still deciding on the new venue for the India-England match. "We will work with the new venue, the tour operators and the ticket distributors to manage the logistical challenges that will surely arise," Shetty said.

It is not yet known whether the people who bought tickets to the fixture will get refunds.

West Indies coach Ottis Gibson has said his team's upcoming tour of Sri Lanka will help the players acclimatise to the conditions for the World Cup that is being played in the subcontinent. West Indies play three ODIs against Sri Lanka at the SSC in Colombo, but while their World Cup warm-up games will also be played in Sri Lanka, they play their group games in India and Bangladesh.

"It is a good opportunity to put some of the plans in place that we are going to take into the World Cup," Gibson said. "When we went for the Test series we did really well as a team and we made progress. We also had a chance to get used to the conditions. The players are fresh out of the Caribbean Twenty20 and are ready for what we have coming up."

West Indies are part of Group B in the World Cup along with South Africa, Netherlands, India, Bangladesh, England and Ireland, and Gibson was positive about his team's chances in the tournament.

"I think we have a team that can win the World Cup," he said. "We will go there with the expectation of doing very well and putting ourselves in a position where we can reach the semi-finals, which is a very realistic possibility. We are not listed among the favourites and that could work in our favour."

The three-Test series between West Indies and Sri Lanka last December ended in a rain-marred 0-0 draw. That series was to be followed by the one-dayers, but they were rescheduled due to bad weather. The first ODI will be played at the SSC on January 31.

Squad: Darren Sammy (capt), Adrian Barath, Carlton Baugh, Sulieman Benn, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Chris Gayle, Nikita Miller, Kieron Pollard, Ravi Rampaul, Kemar Roach, Andre Russell, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Devon Smith.

Sean Ervine's departure from Zimbabwe's World Cup squad will have come as a massive blow to the team's planning and morale ahead of the tournament. His presence would have helped to shore up a brittle middle order, as well as providing an extra option with the ball, and without Ervine in their line-up Zimbabwe may well have to consider a re-shuffling of the batting order.

With the elder Ervine batting somewhere between No. 4 and 6, Charles Coventry had seemed the candidate most likely to be shunted up the order as a pinch-hitting opener, with Hamilton Masakadza and Chamu Chibhabha - Brendan Taylor's partners at the top of the innings in recent times - both left out of the squad.

"I am both excited and a little bit surprised as well, but I think this is my best chance to do well after the selectors showed faith in me by recalling me into the national team," Coventry told the Zimbabwe Independent before Ervine's announcement.

"Opening the innings with Taylor will be a big challenge but it's one I have set myself for since the rumour started making the rounds. Facing the new ball is a tough challenge. I have done it before at provincial level but internationally it's a different thing altogether, especially facing teams like Australia and Pakistan."

Ervine's departure prompted Zimbabwe Cricket to approach the ICC Event Technical Committee to seek approval for batsman Tino Mawoyo as a replacement. An opening batsman by trade, Mawoyo had been part of Zimbabwe's non-travelling reserves. Both he and Regis Chakabva could be prevailed upon to partner Taylor, while Sean Williams may well slot into the middle order as he provides another left-handed option and is proficient in playing spin.

Whatever happens, Zimbabwe will go into the competition with an experimental opening pair that will be their fourth combination in the last 12 months. Masakadza and Vusi Sibanda were asked to do the job during the series against West Indies in March last year, with Masakadza and Taylor opening during the home tri-series that followed, with some success. With Masakadza registering just eight runs in three innings against Ireland in September, Chibhabha was pushed up the order in the second ODI against South Africa in October after a pair of confident half-centuries against them in the Twenty20s.

He struggled to adapt his game to the 50-over format, however, and after a 53-run opening stand in the nine-run win over Bangladesh in the first match of their series in December he failed to build anything substantial in the matches which followed. When Masakadza was brought back into the line-up for the last game of the series he scratched around for 20 balls before being trapped in front of his stumps by Mashrafe Mortaza.

Without a clear candidate to partner Taylor, and seeking to minimize the disruption caused by Ervine's last minute change of heart, Zimbabwe may well decide to stick to what was rumoured to be the original plan and open with Coventry. He has had a stop-start international career, however, and has yet to show more than brief flashes of the talent that brought him an unbeaten 194 against Bangladesh - made from No. 3.

"To be honest Charles Coventry has been a hugely frustrating guy to deal with," chairman of selectors Alistair Campbell was moved to say recently. "We have put in so much effort in developing him but he hasn't been performing. But we hope that he can be the X-factor to deliver the big innings. We will try him at the top and we will also see how Chakabva responds to being promoted to the top as well."

Coventry doesn't deny that he is yet to do his talent justice, and insists he has been working hard on the technical frailties in his batting in preparation for the World Cup. "I have gone out a few times when everyone including me felt I could have kept my wicket and batted through," he added. "This is what they [the selectors] want me to do but I think a few times I have gone for big shots and got myself dismissed unnecessarily. I have to work on that and I think I will give a better show at the World Cup.

"We have to take the game to our opponents, play attacking cricket and not let them bully us. We are capable of beating anyone; we have shown that before by beating Australia at the Twenty20 World Cup. It's going to be tough but if we apply ourselves fully we can go through to the next round."

Coventry's bullish statements were echoed by national captain Elton Chigumbura, who hinted that Zimbabwe - needing to win at least three group games in order to go through to the Quarter Finals - would target New Zealand.

"We will fancy our chances against New Zealand who struggled the last time they were in the subcontinent," said Chigumbura. "They lost all their matches against Bangladesh and they clearly struggled against spin. We have a very good spin attack, so we will capitalise on their frailties and hopefully we will get a positive result."

Zimbabwe will also be hoping for more consistent performances from their captain, who suffered a startling loss of form with both bat and ball last season. "I have had a loss of form, but I know I am just an innings away from getting back to my best," he added. "I have been working hard on that and I have also been working on my bowling with Heath Streak."

Sean Ervine has pulled out of Zimbabwe's squad for the World Cup, and will remain at Hampshire in 2011. Ervine, who had been named in both the preliminary and finalised squads for the tournament, had a change of heart shortly before the national team were due to depart for a training camp in Dubai.

"After having had time to reflect on all of the circumstances, I have realised that this is not the right time to leave Hampshire," said Ervine. "I have a great relationship with this club and its supporters and I feel like part of a family. I feel Hampshire is my home; so much so that I am planning to get married there next year. I do not, therefore, want to be away for long periods of time."

It had appeared certain that Ervine would part ways with Hampshire to reignite his international career, which he described as his "ultimate goal", but his decision not to play for Zimbabwe means he will not be considered an overseas player - a position filled by legspinner Imran Tahir at Hampshire - and will therefore be eligible to play for the county in all forms of the game in 2011. Ervine had proved a success in his six years with the club, helping the team to three trophies, scoring 3,956 first-class runs and taking 118 first class wickets in the process.

"We are very happy that Sean has come to this conclusion," said Hampshire manager Giles White. "He is an important and highly-valued cricketer who is popular with everyone associated with The Rose Bowl and central to our plans for the future."

Alistair Campbell, the head of Zimbabwe's selection panel and former national captain, expressed his disappointment at Ervine's withdrawal. "Zimbabwe Cricket was very excited about Sean coming back into the setup. However, he may not have realised that international cricket is a lot harder than he remembers," Campbell said in a ZC statement.

"He has lived a very comfortable life in county cricket for the last six years and obviously decided at the last minute he might not be up to the challenges of international cricket after all. A lot of people have gone to a lot of effort to make it happen for Sean. Although is very late in the day to change his mind, it is better than realising his mistake during the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011."

ZC has approached the ICC Event Technical Committee to seek approval for batsman Tino Mawoyo to replace Ervine in the squad. An opening batsman, Mawoyo played two one-day internationals against Bangladesh in 2006 and is a regular in the Zimbabwe A line-up. He had been named as a non-travelling reserve for the World Cup before Ervine's last-minute departure. Craig Ervine, Sean's younger brother, remains part of Zimbabwe's squad.

Dale Steyn believes that South Africa's hard-fought series victory over India has taught the side valuable lessons ahead of the World Cup, after they battled back from a 2-1 deficit to seal the rubber with victories in the final two matches at Port Elizabeth and Centurion. Even at 119 for 8, chasing 269 for victory in the decider, India refused to yield, with Yusuf Pathan lighting up the closing overs of the contest with a blistering 105 from 70 balls.

"It was pretty tough all the way through," Steyn told ESPNcricinfo's Switch Hit podcast. "When you're playing against a team like India you're always going to struggle, especially as they bat all the way down the order to No. 9 and 10. They are a good side, and a great knock by Yusuf nearly turned it for them, but our fight showed through in the last ODI. We showed we wanted it more that day."

South Africa play India in the group stages of the World Cup at Nagpur on March 12, and Steyn now knows that a player of Yusuf's class will be hard to contain if he is allowed to get going in that contest. "He smokes the ball, even his mis-hits were going for six," he said. "It was one of those knocks you have to sit back and say well played, because there wasn't much more we could do.

"We felt we had the game in control until then, but every time he hit the ball it went for six," he added. "It was a good knock from Zaheer [Khan] as well, but there were some valuable lessons learned for the World Cup, and we can take the experience from a game like that and learn from it if it happens again in the World Cup."

On a personal note, the series win wrapped up an impressive season's work for Steyn, who has cemented his reputation as the world's leading fast bowler with a series of searing performances. "I'm bowling nicely but I hope that I can bowl better," he said. "I never want to restrict myself and say I'm at my ultimate peak, I'm always looking to take myself to a higher level. But things have been going nicely, and I've been backed nicely by guys like Lopsy [Tsotsobe] and Morne [Morkel]. When they are bowling well, I can basically play second fiddle and it takes pressure off my shoulders."

South Africa's World Cup 15 was announced last week, and in the opinion of the captain, Graeme Smith, it is an unpredictable line-up, with a host of players - Steyn included - who have never yet taken part in a 50-over World Cup. "It is a new thing, and we are looking forward to it," said Steyn. "We're going to ride the wave that we've had against one of the best teams in the world, and we are very excited. There are a lot of new guys, and a new energy, and the atmosphere is fantastic."

One of those new faces is the Pakistan-born legspinner, Imran Tahir, who was kept hidden during the India series, but could well prove to be a trump card come the start of the tournament. "He's a good bowler, and most of the guys on the county circuit and at domestic level in South Africa have realised that," said Steyn. "I played with him at the Titans but hardly ever alongside him, but when I batted against him he got me out about 14 times in 10 minutes. I'm not saying I'm the world's best batsman, but I was bamboozled all the time. So he's looking forward to his opportunity."

Imran Tahir is being saved as a secret weapon by South Africa for use in next month's World Cup, but the opposition are not the only people he will catch by surprise. Wicketkeeper AB de Villiers has yet to stand behind the stumps to the Pakistan-born legspinner in a match situation.

Adjusting to a wrist spinner, may prove a "challenge," according to Daryn Smit, who is the wicketkeeper at the Dolphins franchise that Tahir plays for in domestic cricket. Tahir only moved to the Dolphins this season and Smit said he learnt to keep to the legspinner by playing against him previously. "I was lucky because I was able to pick him when I was facing him and that helped me when it came to keeping to him."

Tahir's biggest variation from the legbreak is his googly, which is also his wicket-taking ball. "The only way to pick it is to watch how it comes out of the hand," Smit said, indicating that it is not easily read off the pitch. "That's the real difficulty, because you can't be going one way for the legbreak and then he's actually bowling a googly."

Even though Smit adjusted quickly to keeping to Tahir in the first-class competition, he still found it testing to do the job in the MTN40 limited overs tournament because of the number of day/night games. "Imran is harder to pick up at night, especially when he makes subtle changes with his hand," Smit said. "Against a black sight-screen and under artificial lights, it takes some getting used to." Three of South Africa's six group stage matches are day-night affairs, including the opening match against West Indies. Both their warm-up games will be played under lights, so de Villiers should have at least one opportunity to get used to Tahir in the dark.

It appears that de Villiers has a tricky job ahead of him, but Smit is confident in his ability to adjust to Tahir, having known de Villiers since his youth. "A lot of people say AB is a part-time keeper, but I know that he isn't. At Under-19 level, I was the first-choice 'keeper and he was the back-up and he was a good keeper," Smit said.

de Villiers is not the only one who will have to adjust to having Tahir in the side. South Africa have not had an aggressive spinner since Paul Adams and Graeme Smith will have to learn how to manage Tahir. "He is an attacking spinner and that means he is going to go for runs. It may mean setting slightly more defensive fields," Smit said. He advised that a little bit of risk, in allowing Tahir to concede a few runs, will go a long way because "every time he bowls I feel he's got a chance to take a wicket."

While Smit is looking forward to seeing how Tahir fits into the South Africa side, the bulk of his anticipation is reserved simply for watching his team-mate make his debut. He said that everyone in the Dolphins squad is eager to see Tahir bowl on the international stage. "In this one-day series [against India], we waited for the starting line up every game to see if he was there. We all know what a matchwinner he can be and we know he will do well."

Although Tahir has no international experience, Smit thinks he is more than ready to step up to the big stage. "He has over 500 wickets at first-class level and even though it is very different to international cricket, the years of experience will have set him up well. The conditions in the subcontinent should suit his bowling style.

"If he offers the national team half of what he's offered the Dolphins, they'll do well."

Risk and South African cricket have not made a happy couple in the past, but they've decided to give their relationship another try. They're being thrust on the same plane to next month's World Cup and will have no choice but to make it work, if South Africa are to have any realistic chance of going all the way.

South African cricket is characterised by its penchant for being calculating, for carefully mapping out formulas and executing them according to plan and their usual precise preparations are certain to take place. The element of chance that courts them is caused by pure circumstance, it's written into the very fibres that make up the 15 men they've chosen to take them to glory in the subcontinent.

South Africa go into the tournament with only one tried and tested big-hitting, wicket-taking allrounder - Jacques Kallis - and he is recovering from an injury sustained to his hip during the recent Test series against India. For the first time since 1996 they have a wrist spinner, but Imran Tahir has yet to make his international debut. Only four of the players have World Cup experience, and only three of those are certainties in the starting XI - captain Graeme Smith, Kallis and AB de Villiers - which means eight players could be on World Cup debut in a month's time against the West Indies.

It is this relative inexperience which will be South Africa's biggest test in the tournament as it will be the first time they are taking so many fresh faces to the global showpiece. In 1992, the team was new to the international stage but had a wealth of first-class knowledge. In every tournament since then, they have had a settled first-choice XI. This time around, as the ODI series against India showed, almost no-one's place is guaranteed and the combinations don't have a settled fit.

Instead of worrying about the perceived lack of stability, Smith sees it as a positive. "Our squad is unpredictable," he said after the fifth ODI against India in Centurion. "It's the first time we are going to a World Cup with so many options and it will allow us to pick the best XI on the day."

Kallis' return to full fitness will make a major difference to the balance of the side, particularly from a batting perspective. With Kallis set to return to his position at No. 3 in the line-up, it will allow one of Colin Ingram or Morne van Wyk to bolster a brittle lower-middle order. South Africa's long tail, which started at No. 7 with Johan Botha in the series against India, was exposed over the five matches, and Kallis' return should help them solve that problem.

Hashim Amla will be expected to play the anchor role with Kallis, something he recognised during the India series. Amla blazed his way to two half-centuries in Durban and Port Elizabeth and looked like he was aiming to transform himself into a bearded Herschelle Gibbs. He knuckled down to score a more composed century at Centurion and even said that he was given a "reminder of his role in the team."

de Villiers' form with the bat will be a concern, with him only scoring 114 runs in the five matches against India and looking scratchy. Critics will immediately say that the responsibility of wicketkeeping and batting is becoming too much, but Smith thinks all de Villiers needs is some time off to rejuvenate. "I am not worried about him. He has had a long summer, he just needs some rest. I expect him to be strong in the World Cup," Smith said.

South Africa's big variable factor at the World Cup is likely to be in the bowling department, and they've attempted to cover all bases. Four seamers and five spin options, three of which are frontline spinners, make up their attack. Dale Steyn, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Morne Morkel are 'safe' in terms of their form, while Wayne Parnell has been a worry. Since recovering from his groin injury, he has had a slight remodel of his action, particularly his stride through the crease, and has struggled for consistency. He is still deadly on his day but was expensive against India.

South Africa may have to get used to playing more than one spinner, something they have dabbled in only occasionally. Johan Botha is still the first choice, while Faf du Plessis made a strong case for his inclusion with solid performances against India. JP Duminy and Robin Peterson are likely to share the fifth bowlers' duties with someone else, while Tahir is expected to be the wicket-taker.

He was part of the squad that played against India but was only spotted carrying drinks. Smith said there was a method behind the madness. "It was a tactical decision. We felt there is enough time for him to play in the warm-ups and our batting was slightly light. He is someone we want to keep fresh and we didn't want to give people the opportunity to see too much of him."

The reasoning behind this might come across as strange since Tahir has spent many seasons playing in the UK, and represented three different counties. In an age where video footage is readily available, it would be absurd if teams have not done their homework on Tahir. Of course, facing him and watching him are two different things and it seems that South Africa are relying on the element of surprise to do the trick for them this time. Now that's risky.

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has said the delay in naming the captain of the World Cup squad has led to the creation of factions within the national side.

Currently Misbah-ul-Haq, who has seven half-centuries in his previous seven international innings, is the captain of the Test side while Shahid Afridi has led the limited-over teams over the past year. Under Misbah's charge, Pakistan drew a Test series against South Africa in UAE, in November, before winning the two-Test series in New Zealand. Afridi returned to the helm for the ongoing one-day series, with Misbah as his deputy, and Pakistan were thrashed by nine wickets in the first game, by a New Zealand side that was on a 11-match losing streak.

In the meantime, the selectors finalised their World Cup squad, but did not name the captain, making Pakistan the only team that is yet to identify its leader for the event.

Inzamam said the uncertainty was hurting Pakistan's preparations. "With only three weeks left to the World Cup, Pakistan have no captain and the blame goes to the PCB for creating an impasse which has divided the team into two groups, supporting Afridi and Misbah," Inzamam said. "In this scenario one cannot have high expectations for the team."

Inzamam was in charge of Pakistan during their disastrous 2007 World Cup campaign, which ended with a first-round exit after a loss to Ireland, which was followed by the sudden death of their coach Bob Woolmer.

"The PCB has failed to control the situation and if Pakistan fares badly in the World Cup, people will accuse the players and not the board."

The selection of the Pakistan's 15-man squad without consulting coach Waqar Younis or the captain also came in for criticism from Inzamam. "When a team is without a captain how can a proper strategy be made? The team is playing a one-day series in New Zealand but they do not know who will be their captain in the World Cup which is very damaging."

With 25 days to go for the 2011 World Cup, Ratnakar Shetty, the tournament's director, has dismissed concerns about the preparedness of venues for the event.

There had been worries over the redevelopment of grounds in India and Sri Lanka, which had overshot their initial deadlines on November 30 and December 31, but Shetty said they were now on track.

"I think the concerns are more in the media than anything else," Shetty said following the ICC's inspection on Monday of the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, one of the grounds that was running behind schedule. "As far as we are concerned, all the 13 venues which are going to stage the World Cup are coming up very well and we don't see any reason of concern."

The ICC team, comprising their stadium consultant Eugene van Vuuren, the body's general commercial manager Campbell Jamieson and events manager Chris Tetley, will next visit Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Tuesday to check out its status. While the Wankhede has had all its stands completely rebuilt, Eden Gardens had two stands renovated.

The tournament kicks off on February 19, with India taking on Bangladesh in Mirpur. The Wankhede will host the final on April 2, in addition to league games on March 13 and 18. Eden Gardens will host four matches, with the first one scheduled for February 27.

Earlier we reported based on an event page that Atif Aslam will be doing the official World Cup 2011 song. However, soon ahead, we realized, that was not true and the event page was fake! Since the video shoot was still being done at Qadaffi stadium, we looked deeper into the matter to get artist’s name and found out something really interesting.

It’s prince of pop, Ali Zafar, who has sung, composed and written the official cricket world cup 2011 song.

Cricket World cup is a big occasion for us and probably one of the very few sources of excitement left for us. It makes all the more sense for us to celebrate it as much as we can. Another source for us to celebrate is our music. These two combined together is a lethal combination. And who better to sing for this joyous moment than our very own most celebrated Ali Zafar. Ali Zafar is singing, writing and composing the world cup song, video for which is in the process of shoot, confirmed us Ammara, Ali Zafar’s media publicist. Normally the biggest stars and singers are chosen by Multi nationals all over the world to render the world cup song for sports like Shakira was chosen for football with Waka Waka. And surveys put Ali Zafar on the top of the list for our region. It is heard that Ali Zafar took special time off from his bollywood ventures and locked himself in the studio for one week to compose, arrange and write the song. Seems like we have a winner this time, if not in the game then probably in the song