ICC confirms 2010 event in the West Indies will be World Twenty20

Mohali (Punjab), Oct.18 (ANI): ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat today confirmed the ICC event scheduled for 2010 in the West Indies will be a World Twenty20.

The tournament was originally scheduled to be an ICC Champions Trophy but the ICC Board agreed it would switch to the shorter format to achieve a better mix of tournaments.

It will take place between 23 April and 9 May 2010 (the same duration as the 2009 event in England) and will be staged at three venues to be chosen by the ICC Board in January 2009 following nominations from the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB).

Explaining the decision during a visit to Mohali for the second Test between India and Australia, Lorgat said: "With the ICC Champions Trophy being the final major ICC event of 2009, and the ICC Cricket World Cup being another 50 over event in 2011, it makes perfect sense to have a tournament of a different format in between.

"It means we will avoid staging the ICC Champions Trophy and the ICC Cricket World Cup close together, as happened in 2002-03 and 2006-07.

"We will aim to make both those events special to ensure we have a great blend of the ICC's three majors, with two ICC World Twenty20s (2009 in England and 2010 in the West Indies) as well as an ICC Champions Trophy (in 2009) and an ICC Cricket World Cup (in 2011) over the next three years."

Dr Julian Hunte, President of the WICB, said: "We are delighted with the decision to make the 2010 event an ICC World Twenty20 and the WICB is extremely excited to be hosting it.

"The people of the Caribbean have already been exposed to the shortest form of the game through local tournaments and they have embraced it.

"This event will allow us to take advantage of some of the outstanding stadia built or renovated for use in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup in order to showcase cricket at the elite level."

The ICC is examining the feasibility of continuing to stage a women's Twenty20 event at the same time as the men's tournament (as will happen with the 2009 event in England) and the ICC Board will make a decision on that matter in due course.

The ICC Development Committee will consider the process to decide which of the leading Associate Member teams will take part in the tournament. (ANI)