After winning the bid to host matches in next year’s International Cricket Council (ICC) 20/20 World Cup which will be held in the Caribbean for the first time, members of the local organizing committee (LOC) held their first meeting yesterday at the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport on Main Street.

President of the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) Chetram Singh told Stabroek Sport that the meeting was basically to appoint persons to the various positions on the LOC.

“Well the first 20/20 World Cup has already started so we only have a year which is no time really. So today (yesterday) was to basically appoint people to the various positions so we can get things going,” Singh said.

Guyana hosted matches during the ‘Super 8’ series of the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup and Singh said that the LOC for the upcoming 20/20 World Cup will be used again.

“If you look at some of the persons who were at the meeting today (yesterday) are persons who were part of the last World Cup committee…the meeting was fruitful so now we just have to get things going,” Singh added.

Guyana, Barbados and St Lucia are the three countries where next year’s World Cup matches will be held, but according to Singh although the details and fixtures are not fully known it is likely that the preliminary matches would be hosted here.

On the ball! Members of the ICC 20/20 World Cup Committee at their first meeting yesterday. (Orlando Charles photo)

The move to host the 20/20 showpiece in the Caribbean follows the 2007 staging of the one-day Cricket World Cup in the region, an event roundly criticised for lacking a West Indian flavour.  The Cricket World Cup was also dogged by small attendances mainly after key draw cards India and Pakistan were shockingly knocked out in the first round.

Next year’s 20/20 World Cup will take place between April 23 and May 9. The 2009 edition of the 20/20 World Cup is currently being played in England.