Cricket World Cup hosts
The International Cricket Council's executive committee votes for the hosts of the tournament after examining the bids made by the nations keen to hold a Cricket World Cup. All the World Cup events so far have been held in nations in which cricket is a popular sport. Most of the tournaments have been jointly hosted by nations from the same geographical region, such as South Asia in 1987, 1996, and 2011, Australia in 1992 and 2015, Southern Africa in 2003 and West Indies in 2007.
England have hosted the most World Cups – a total of 5 (including the first three World Cups). They hosted it in 1975, 1979, 1983, 1999 and 2019. England are also the only nation to have hosted a World Cup alone, doing it in 1975 and 1979. In 1983 & 1999, despite being regarded as the only host for the tournament, some matches were played in Ireland, Netherlands, Scotland and Wales. The West Indies hosted the tournament in 2007 but are not considered as sole hosts because the West Indies represents a sporting confederation of 15 mainly English-speaking Caribbean countries, British dependencies and non-British dependencies.
Summary
Tournament | # Matches | Matches Hosted by Nations | Other bidders |
---|---|---|---|
1975 | 15 | England (15) | |
1979 | 15 | England (15) | |
1983 | 27 | England (26) Wales (1) | |
1987 | 27 | India (17) Pakistan (10) | England[1] |
1992 | 39 | Australia (25) New Zealand (14) | |
1996 | 37 | India (17) Pakistan (16) Sri Lanka (4) | England[2] South Africa[2] |
1999 | 42 | England (37) Scotland (2) Ireland (1) Netherlands (1) Wales (1) | |
2003 | 54 | South Africa (46) Zimbabwe (6) Kenya (2) | |
2007 | 51 | West Indies (51) | Bahamas[3] Bermuda[3] United States[3] |
2011 | 49 | India (29) Sri Lanka (12) Bangladesh (8) | Australia[4] New Zealand[4] Pakistan[5] United Arab Emirates[5] |
2015 | 49 | Australia (26) New Zealand (23) | |
2019 | 48 | England (44) Wales (4) | |
2023 | - | India | |
Hosts Selection
1975, 1979 and 1983 Cricket World Cups
England hosted the first three competitions. The ICC decided that England should host the first tournament because it was ready to put the resources needed in organising the inaugural event. India proposed that it should host the third Cricket World Cup, but most ICC members believed England was a more suitable venue because longer period of daylight in June. This meant that a match could be completed in one day.[6]
1975, 1979 & 1983† Host: England †In 1983, England are considered as sole hosts. However, one match was played in Swansea, Wales.
1987 Cricket World Cup
The first competition hosted outside England was the 1987 Cricket World Cup, which was jointly held in India and Pakistan. A change in location led to a reduction in the number of overs from sixty to fifty in each innings because of the shorter duration of daylight.
2007 Cricket World Cup
The World Cup was awarded to the West Indies via the International Cricket Council's rotational policy. It was the first time the Cricket World Cup had been held in the Caribbean despite the fact that the West Indies cricket team had been the second most successful team in past World Cups. Bermuda and the United States unsuccessfully bid for the right to host matches.
2007 Hosts: West Indies
2011, 2015 and 2019 Cricket World Cups
2011 Bids:
- Australia and New Zealand
- Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
The ICC originally announced its decision which countries would host the 2011 World Cup on 30 April 2006. Australia and New Zealand's bid for the tournament was the only bid for 2011 delivered to ICC headquarters in Dubai ahead of the 1 March deadline.
ICC President Ehsan Mani said the extra time taken by the Asian bloc to hand over its bid compliance book had harmed the four-nation bid. However, when the time came to vote, Asia won the hosting rights by ten votes to three. The Pakistan Cricket Board revealed that it was the vote of the West Indies Cricket Board that swung the matter, as the Asian bid had the support of the four bidding countries along with South Africa and Zimbabwe. It was reported in Pakistani newspaper Dawn that the Asian countries promised to hold fund-raising events for West Indian cricket during the 2007 World Cup, which may have influenced the vote. However, chairman of the Monitoring Committee of the Asian bid, I. S. Bindra, said it was their promise of extra profits in the region of US$400 million that swung the vote, that there "was no quid pro quo for their support", and that playing the West Indies had "nothing to do with the World Cup bid".
After missing out on 2011, Australia and New Zealand were awarded the 2015 World Cup.[7] England was awarded the 2019 event as part of rotational policy.[4]
2011 Voting Result:
- Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, 10 votes
- Australia and New Zealand, 3 votes
World cup event was moved out of Pakistan
World cup moved out of Pakistan by the ICC on 17 April 2009[8][9] due to ongoing concerns about the "uncertain security situation" prevailing in the country, especially in the aftermath of the 2009 attack on the Sri Lanka national cricket team in Lahore On 9 April 2009, PCB chairman Ijaz Butt revealed that they had issued a legal notice to oppose ICC decision.[10] However, the ICC claims that PCB is still a co-host and they have only shifted the matches out of Pakistan.[11] Pakistan had proposed that South Africa host the 2015 World Cup and Australia/New Zealand host 2011, however this option did not find favour with their co-hosts and hence didn't materialise.[12]
2011 Hosts: Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka
2015 Hosts: Australia and New Zealand awarded after losing the 2011 hosting bid
2019 Host: England and Wales awarded as per rotational policy
2023 Host: India
Unofficial rotation system
Since the 1983 World Cup in England, an unofficial rotation system was introduced so that each cricket playing region of the world would have the opportunity to host World Cup after every twenty years. However, according to the Sydney Morning Herald, The Age and Cricinfo, owing to the increasing power and role of the Asian nations, particularly India, this convention has not been strictly adhered to. For example, according to the rotation system, Australia and New Zealand should have been hosts for the event in 2011.[13][14] But, the subcontinent won the bid because it would fetch additional US$ 400 million in profit.[15]
References
- "The World Cup leaves England". ESPNcricinfo. October 30, 2018.
- Kumar, K. c Vijaya (August 11, 2017). "How the 1996 World Cup came to the sub-continent" – via www.thehindu.com.
- "Three days to go for ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 bids". ESPNcricinfo. May 4, 2004.
- "Asia to host 2011 World Cup". ESPNcricinfo. April 30, 2006.
- "UAE could stage World Cup games". The National.
- "The 1979 World Cup in Bangladesh". cricinfo.com. Retrieved 2006-09-19.
- "MCG to host Cricket World Cup 2015 final". ABC News. July 30, 2013.
- "World Cup matches moved out of Pakistan". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2009-04-17.
- Pakistan loses 2011 World Cup Sky Sports. Retrieved on 2 December 2009
- "PCB issues legal notice to ICC | Pakistan Cricket News | Cricinfo.com". Content.cricinfo.com. Retrieved 2011-02-17.
- "ICC clears air over PCB's claims". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2009-05-15.
- "Pakistan discusses two World Cup options". Cricinfo. Retrieved 2009-05-17.
- "Indian threat to Australia's cup bid". theage.com.au. Melbourne. 2005-10-11. Retrieved 2006-10-27.
- "Caught behind in race for Cup". smh.com.au. 2005-10-11. Retrieved 2006-10-27.
- "Promise of profit won Asia the bid – Bindra". cricinfo.com. Retrieved 2006-10-27.