Hosts India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will play their knockout matches at home if they advance to the quarterfinal stage of the World Cup, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said on Friday. Mr Lorgat also said that if two host nations face each other, the side placed higher in the pre-tournament seeding will get preference, which means India will play all its knockout ties on home soil if they get past the preliminary stage.
“I can confirm that the three host countries will play the knockout rounds on their own grounds,” Mr Lorgat told reporters ahead of tomorrow’s tournament opener between India and Bangladesh in Mirpur. ICC’s decision means the original schedule, according to which the specific World Cup quarterfinal matches were marked, will be changed depending on where the hosts finish.
Now, as per the decision, India will play its quarterfinal match in Ahmedabad, irrespective of where they finish in Group B. —PTI