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Hosts bank on Windies
NEW DELHI, Feb 9: World Cup organisers will press the West Indies to go back on their refusal to play in Sri Lanka at a final meeting in Calcutta on Saturday to head off a crisis for the event, officials said, reports AFP.
The meeting, just 24 hours before the world Cup is officially opened at the Eden Gardens in Calcutta, will attempt to head off a major dispute caused by Australia and the West Indies boycott of Sri Lanka as a venue.
With Australia unlikely to back down from their decision not to play in Colombo due to security fears, the or-Ksers will press the West
ta to reconsider, an Indian official said today.
"I think the West Indies can be persuaded to play." said the official, a senior member of the joint Paklndo-Lanka organising committee (PILCOM).
Clyde Walcott, chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and a former West Indies Test batsman, is ekpected to try to convince the Caribbean players to change their minds.
Walcott and the international governing body’s chief
executive David- Richards, an Australian, will meet officials from PILCOM. Australia. Srl Lanka and the West Indies in an attempt to thrash out a compromise.
The West Indies followed Australia in refusing to play in Colombo; where more than 85 people were killed and 1.400 injured in last week's .bomb blast. But PILCOM refused theit demand that nfatches in Colombo be moved.
Australia were scheduled to play lii Colombo on February 17 and the West Indies on February 25. Zimbabwe and Kenya; two other nations billed to play In Sri Lanka, have agreed to go there.
"We believe the West Indies were pressured by Australia in asking for a change in venue, and it would be easier to convince them about the Sri Lankan government's renewed 'assurances on security," the official said.
PILCOM offered to lodge the Australian and West Indian teams in India and fly them to Colombo on the morning of their matches. Australia tuftied down the offer, but the West Indies have not officially reached.
"If the West Indies agree, there will then be tremendous pressure on Australia to change their minds," the official said. "They will be isolated."
At the meeting, PILCOM
will stick by Sri Lanka as ai host, he said. It will insists that Australia and the West-Indies will forfeit theiej matches if they do not turnl up-
"We have to go by the assurances of Srl Lankan gov-: eminent that tight security-will be provided for the • matches. If the government! says so, then it has to be ac- , cepted." the official said.
The captains of the 1Z,; competing nations are also to:> meet in Calcutta on Saturday,, but the Sri Lanka crisis Is not -on their official agenda, which is dominated by playing cort^ , ditions for the tournament.
PILCOM convenor Jagmcmt han Dalmlya told reporters ra Calcutta on Thursday that the® ICC should seek the help Aw the United Nations to decider if conditions were favourable in Srl Lanka to hold the matches.
"Let the UN decide on the issue if the ICC cannot find a solution." Dalmlya said.
PILCOM, however, was unable to pass the request td Walcott and Richards, who were in transit. They are expected in Calcutta today.
The increasingly bitter dispute threatens to over-_ shadow the gala opening cef£ emony in the Eden Gardens cricket ground on Sunday, which has been sold out for. months. .i
Cricket's senior officials and all the teams. including-Australia and the West Indies will take part in the event.