Twenty20 Championship a step closer as 13 Members seek to host event

The prospect of a Twenty20 World Championship is a step closer as the International Cricket Council (ICC) today revealed that 13 Members have expressed interest in hosting an event should it be approved by the ICC Board.

Australia, Bermuda, Malaysia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and the West Indies have all indicated their intention to be considered as hosts for an inaugural Twenty20 event while England, Hong Kong, Nepal and Scotland have also expressed an interest in hosting future events.

ICC Chief Executive Malcolm Speed said that the widespread interest was encouraging.

"For 18 months the ICC has been consistently reviewing the role that Twenty20 cricket could play internationally and this response indicates that there is strong interest from many parts of the cricket world in this type of event," said Mr Speed.

"It is now a matter for the ICC Board to consider at its meeting in Dubai in March. The Board will decide whether it is now appropriate to introduce an international Twenty20 event and, if so, when and in what form."

Twenty20 cricket will first be discussed in Dubai at the ICC Chief Executives' Committee meeting on 14 and 15 February before the ICC Board meeting, also in Dubai, on 20 and 21 March.