Pawar's 'personal letters' helped Asia win Cup bid

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali Jun 1, 2006, 10:26 GMT

Lucknow, June 1 (IANS) Indian cricket board president Sharad Pawar's 'personal letters' to top playing nations have played a significant role in the triumph of the joint Asian bid to host the 2011 World Cup, a top official has disclosed.

Pawar also convinced the International Cricket Council (ICC) that major finances could be generated from the subcontinent if the World Cup was allotted to joint bidders India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

'The letters written by Pawar, outlining the vision of the subcontinent, to all the Test-playing nations seem to have played a significant role in Asia beating the joint bid of Australia and New Zealand 11-3,' the official, who did not want his identity to be revealed, told IANS.

The ICC announced the winner April 30 at a board meeting in Dubai.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official said Pawar's letters seemed to have convinced the Test nations - except Australia and New Zealand, and England - who voted for them and the ICC associate members of the advantages of staging the tournament in the cricket-crazy subcontinent.

'Pawar said in his letters that it was hugely beneficial for everyone that the World Cup was held here as the subcontinent could generate additional resources for ICC and thus ensure greater devolution (of power and money) to the members,' he said.

'He told ICC that the four bidding boards would fully support the promotion and development of the game in various regions of the world through a meaningful partnership.'

A massive TV audience, including the phenomenal expatriate population around the globe, was another attractive factor that Pawar successfully pointed out while canvassing support.

The official said a professionally presented Asian bid also made a significant difference.

'The joint subcommittee of the four bidders had prepared a three-minute audio-visual presentation at the meeting, besides a PowerPoint presentation as well as a coffee table book on the theme aptly title 'Cricket First',' he disclosed, referring to the Asian masses' preference to the game.

'In fact, it was our state-of-the-art 'Cricket First' theme that went a long way in defeating the Australia-New Zealand presentation titled 'Beyond Boundaries', a document that contained letters from their respective prime ministers as well.'

Asia's victory meant there was no effect on the final result despite submitting the bid document much later than the Feb 28 deadline. The ICC had allowed Asia the grace period.

'Not only this bid, but we also succeeded in establishing our right to host every third World Cup, or every 12 years, subject to fulfilment of ICC requirements,' he said.

Former BCCI president I.S. Bindra, who worked tirelessly behind the scene on the joint bid and headed the Asian bid subcommittee, had told IANS in Abu Dhabi May 1 that the subcontinent would host the 2023 and 2035 World Cup as well.

Bindra, who attended the crucial ICC meeting at which the winners were announced, was also part of the successful joint bids of the 1987 and 1996 World Cups held in the subcontinent.

© 2006 Indo-Asian News Service