ICC World Cup Cricket Preparations

Pakistan loses co-host status

In April 2009 the ICC announced that Pakistan had lost its right to co-host the 2011 World Cup due to ongoing concerns about the "uncertain security situation" prevailing in the country, especially in the aftermath of the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team in Lahore.[18][19]

It is estimated that the PCB will lose $10.5 million due to the tournament being taken away from them.[20] This figure only includes the match-fee of $750,000 per match guaranteed by the ICC. The overall loss to the PCB and the Pakistani economy is expected to be much greater.

On 9 April 2009, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt revealed that they had issued a legal notice to oppose ICC's decision.[21] However, the ICC claims that PCB is still a co-host and they have only shifted the matches out of Pakistan.[22] Pakistan had proposed that South Asia host the 2015 World Cup and Australia/New Zealand host 2011, however this option did not find favour with their co-hosts and hence didn't materialise.[23]
Allocation of matches

On 11 April 2005, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan announced an agreement about the allocation of games.[24] The original plan involved India hosting the final, while Pakistan and Sri Lanka would host the semi-finals.[25] and the opening ceremony will take place in Bangladesh.[26]

After being stripped of its co-host status, Pakistan made the bid to host its home games in the cities of UAE as a neutral home venue. This is a result of Pakistan playing matches in the preceding months in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah. The pitches in these stadiums have also been developed to suit the Pakistani players. This would not have harmed any timing schedules as there are regular flights from the city of Mumbai to Dubai.

However, on 28 April 2009, the ICC announced the re-allocation of matches originally intended to be played in Pakistan. As a result, India will now host 29 matches across eight venues including the final and one semi-final; Sri Lanka will host 12 in three venues, including one semi-final; while Bangladesh will stage eight at two grounds as well as the opening ceremony on 17 February 2011.[27]

On 1 June 2010, the first phase of tickets for the 2011 World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh were put on sale following a meeting of the tournament's Central Organising Committee in Mumbai. The tickets were priced affordably, with the cheapest costing 20 US cents in Sri Lanka, the committee said.[28] In January 2011, the ICC declared the Eden Gardens ground in Kolkata, India to be unfit and unlikely to be complete by 27 February when it was scheduled to host a match between India and England. As a result, the match was moved to Bangalore.[29]
Media and promotion
See also: List of 2011 Cricket World Cup broadcasting rights
   
De Ghuma Ke
Play sound
The official song of the 2011 World Cup
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The World Cup has grown as a media event with each tournament. The International Cricket Council has sold the rights for broadcasting of the 2011 Cricket World Cup for around US$ 2 Billion to ESPN Star Sports and Star Cricket.

Song and other promotions

The official event ambassador for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is Sachin Tendulkar,[30] promoting various ICC initiatives for the tournament.

The official song of the 2011 World Cup "De Ghuma Ke" was composed by the trio of Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy, and is sung in Hindi, Bengali and Sinhala.[31] It incorporates an array of Indian rhythms, as well as elements of rock and hip-hop. The song was performed at the opening ceremony of the tournament, which was held in Bangladesh on 17 February 2011.[32]

Mascot

Stumpy, a young elephant, is the official mascot for the 2011 Cricket World Cup.[33] He was unveiled at a function in Colombo, Sri Lanka, on Friday, 2 April 2010.[34] The official name of the mascot was released on Monday, 2 August 2010 after an online competition conducted by the International Cricket Council in the last week of July, 2010.