Hosts set for home quarter and semi-finals

Host nations at the 2011 World Cup in Asia are set to be allowed to play quarter and semi-final matches on their own soil, according to plans submitted to the International Cricket Council (ICC).

The next World Cup will be staged in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

A meeting of the ICC's chief executives' committee, held at the global governing body's Dubai headquarters, backed plans from the World Cup central organising committee that, where possible, host countries should play their quarter-finals and semi-finals in their own country. Where two co-hosts are involved, the higher-ranked side from the group stage will host the match.

This recommendation will now be considered in February at the next ICC board meeting, in Dubai. The chief executives' two-day meeting in Dubai also saw them discuss joint ICC/MCC proposals for a World Test Championship.

A five-man panel, including India's N Srinivasan, Australia's James Sutherland and England's David Collier has now been formed to prepare a discussion paper ahead of the next chief executives' meeting. India's financial capital Mumbai is due to stage the next World Cup final, on April 2, 2011, at the renovated Wankhede ground.

Pakistan were due to be one of four co-hosts at the 2011 World Cup but its 14 matches were relocated among the three other Asian nations by the ICC because of security fears after attacks in its eastern city of Lahore on the Sri Lankan team on March 3.

Reigning champions Australia have won the last three editions of the 50-overs-per side event (1999, 2003 and 2007). AFP