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Co-hosts pull punches
NEW DELHI. Feb 12: Australia and West Indies face the prospect of multi-mfl-llon-dollar fines for refusing to play World Cup matches in Srl Lanka, angry organisers said Monday, reports AFP.
"They will not get away . lightly, and you can be sure that the last has not been heard on this episode," said Indeijlt Singh Bindra, president of the Board of Control for Cricket In India.
"Australia and the West Indies face the possibility of heavy fines, probably in the region of three or four million dollars." said Bindra. a senior member of the Joint Pak-Indo-Lanka Organising Committee (PILCOM).
Both teams refused to play in Colombo this month fearing for fhe safety players because of the Srl Lankan Tamil terrorists. Sri Lanka, will now host only two World Cup matches, against Zimbabwe and Kenya.
Arjuna Ranatunga's men were awarded four points for the forfeited matches, meaning they have qualified for the quarterfinals even before the first World Cup ball is bowled.
"It's a ridiculous situation." said PILCOM member Arif Abbasi from Pakistan. The Worid Cup is undermined by these forfeited games. Its never happened
before, but I am not sure it won’t happen again."
"Australia and West Indies have opened up a Pandora’s box." an agitated PILCOM convenor-secretary Jagmo-han Dalmiya said. I shudder to think what the future holds."
Added Abbasi: "We repeatedly asked both teams to reconsider their decision. But their one-point agenda was to shift the venues. How can you talk to someone who has already made up his mind?"
Dalmiya said PILCOM's decision -to send a Joint India-Pakistan team to play a goodwill match against Sri Lanka in Colombo on Tuesday would serve two purposes.
"It is a measure of our solidarity with the Sri Lankans. But more than that it will prove that conditions were conducive to playing in Colombo," he said.
Police and military in Colombo were placed on maximum alert on state television and Is expected to draw a full house.
Sri Lanka had expected about 35,000 to 50,000 spectators for each of the matches against Australia and West Indies.
Tickets priced between ■500 and 2,000 rupees (37 dollars), or the average monthly Income of a Srl Lankan, sold out last month.
Cricket board officials said they have not yet decided if the tickets will be refunded or swapped for the matches against Kenya and Zimbabwe.
PILCOM is unlikely to take
any action against the two defaulting teams before the month-long tournament, which kicks off on Wednesday. until after the final at Lahore. Pakistan on March 17. an official said.
"But a lot will happen after that." the official, who requested anonymity, said. " a split in world cricket cannot be ruled out. Nothing can be ruled out.
"There have been boycotts of Olympics and other sporting events, but it never happened in cricket before. But we could now see cricket tours being boycotted. The cricket world is in turmoil." he said.
The dispute may put a question mark over Australia's scheduled tour of Sri Lanka in August, although Sri Lankan cricket board president Ana Punchihewa said there were no plans yet to cancel the tour.
"We want them to corner in fact we are even willing to host them in the World Cup if they change their minds. But tn the present circumstances who can foresee the future?" Punchihewa said.
"I am sad and angry, but we in Sri Lanka have to take It in our stride and get on with the game. Winning the World Cup is our immediate aim." he said.
Action in cricket's premier limited-Overs com-’ petition starts on Wednesday, when England play New Zealand in the western In-' dian city of Ahmedabad. >