Sri Lanka set to host ICC KnockOut

Sri Lanka are set to stage the International Cricket Council (ICC) KnockOut Trophy in September after India's decision not to host the popular 10-team tournament.

Vijaya Malalsekera, chairman of the interim committee that manages the Board of Control for Cricket in Sri Lanka (BCCSL), confirmed on Wednesday that Sri Lanka have been offered the tournament by the ICC.

"An offer has been made to the Sri Lankan cricket board and in principle we have agreed to host the tournament," Malalsekera said. "We just need to iron out the finer details. We have sent a written reply requesting clarification on a couple of issues."

Malalsekera was confident that the tournament would be managed successfully. "We have more than enough experience of organising such an event after the Under-19 World Cup in January 2000, which was such a resounding success."

India were to host the tournament but withdrew earlier in the week citing financial reasons. Niranjan Shah, secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), said: "We have written to the government asking for tax exemption, but have not heard from them. Without the tax exemption, the tournament is financially not viable to the BCCI and we have withdrawn from hosting the event."

India's withdrawal prompted speculation as to the alternatives, with Morocco, Sharjah, Australia and Sri Lanka all being touted as possibilities.

But Morocco is yet to stage an international game, whilst Sharjah's reputation remains tarnished after the match-fixing saga and was never likely to be acceptable to some members, despite belated efforts to bump up player security and clean up its image.

Meanwhile, Australia, boasting the most advanced cricket infrastructure in the world, hardly fits into the "developing cricket nation" hosting criterion initially envisaged at the tournament's inception.

For Sri Lanka, the staging of the tournament would be a major boon in a year when there is presently only one two-Test tour from Bangladesh scheduled. "Hosting the tournament would be very exciting for Sri Lankan cricket and a real boost for the country's sagging tourist industry," said Malalsekera.

If confirmed, it would force a change in location for the ICC Executive Board meeting scheduled for March in Colombo, as Sri Lanka would then hold the September board meeting instead.