ICC delete Kenya, insert New Zealand for U-19 WC

LONDON: Unsatisfied with the development work by Cricket Kenya for Under-19 World Cup, the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced to shift the World Cup from Kenya to New Zealand. The ICC awarded WC to Kenya in 2006 but the preparations have been slowed as required for the World Cup hence the reason for the shifting. It must be mentioned that from now only eight months to go before the gala event. "It was agreed that New Zealand would be the location for the tournament, subject to the agreement of satisfactory terms," a statement by ICC said.


ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said it would have been too big a risk to keep the event in Kenya. "We have been working with Kenya to monitor their progress towards staging the ICC U/19 Cricket World Cup for some time, with visits to the locations earmarked for matches and regular reports to the ICC Board. "Regrettably, the conclusion reached was that the amount of work still to be done to get many of the venues ready was such that retaining Kenya as a host represented too great a risk to the successful staging of the event," he said.