ICC World Cup 2011 - Sri Lanka, Bangladesh Venues

The ICC World Cup 2011 will be co-hosted by India, SriThis stadium will host 3 Group A matches, beginning
Lanka and Bangladesh; the venues in these countrieswith a Pakistan Vs New Zealand encounter on March
have been finalised.8, 2011.
Orginally, Pakistan were also co-hosts with someHambantota's Suryawewa Stadium, also under
matches to be held in that country. As per that plan,construction, will seat slightly fewer than its
Bangladesh's participation would be confined to hostingcounterparts in Kandy and Colombo, and 33,000
the opening ceremony.spectators will be able to watch matches held here
In April 2006, citing security concerns, the ICC decidedduring the world cup.
not to allow Pakistan to host any match of the worldThis stadium will host its first match on February 20,
cup although it retained Pakistan as a co-host.2011, when hosts Sri Lanka take on Canada, in a
Pakistan tried to salvage the situation by stating thatGroup A encounter. Only one other (group) match is
the matches allotted to it would be held in Abu Dhabi,scheduled to be played here.
Dubai and Sharjah, instead of in Pakistan.Bangladesh will use two venues to host the world cup
When that moved failed, Pakistan sought to save facematches allotted to it by the ICC. Apart from the
by demanding that the event be hosted by Australiacapital city of Dhaka, Chittagong will also feature on
and New Zealand who had also bid for the Cup.the itinerary of teams travelling to Bangladesh during
As things eventually transpired, the ICC stuck to itsthe tournament.
guns and the tournament is going to be co-hosted byDhaka's Sher-e-Bangla Cricket Stadium has been on
India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.the international cricket map for several years and has
Three venues have been named in Sri Lanka that willa seating capacity of 35,000.
host some group matches and a semi-final. ApartThis stadium has been honoured with the allotment to it
from Colombo and Kandy, Hambantota is the thirdof the tournament opener between co-hosts India and
location that will play host, during the tournament.Bangladesh in a Group B match scheduled for
The matches at Colombo will be played at theFebruary 19, 2011.
Premadasa Stadium, which has a capacity of 35,000.Three other Group B matches are scheduled to be
The Premadasa will be the scene of 5 Group Aplayed at this venue which will also host two of the
matches, including a Sri Lanka Vs Pakistan match thatquarter-finals on March 23 and 25, 2011.
will be its first attraction of the world cup, on March 10,Chittagong's Divisional Stadium with a capacity of
2011.20,000 will be the other location of the world cup
The Premadasa will also play proud host to onematches to be held in Bangladesh, next year.
quarter- and one semi-final, on March 24 and 29, 2011,Bangladesh will meet England in a Group B match here
respectively.on March 11, 2011. One more Group B match has been
New stadiums are being built at Kandy andallotted to this venue.
Hambantota. The Pallekele International Stadium, underThe tournament will reach its climax at the Wankhede
construction at Kandy will, like the Premadasa inStadium in Mumbai, where the winning semi-finalists will
Colombo, have a seating capacity of 35,000.clash to decide the World Champions.