ICC President praises Sri Lanka as "outstanding hosts" of tournament

ICC President Mr Ehsan Mani has praised Sri Lanka as outstanding hosts for the U/19 Cricket World Cup and labeled the tournament an absolutely wonderful event.

15 days of cricket with 16 teams from all over the world playing 44 matches climaxed in a thrilling Super League final in Colombo on Sunday as defending champions Pakistan became the first side to retain the trophy when they beat India by 38 runs.

And reflecting on the tournament, Mr Mani said: "The people of Sri Lanka have been outstanding hosts and I would like to express the ICC's thanks for their generous hospitality.

"What they have produced here has been an absolutely wonderful event with some great cricket and they can be justifiably proud of the job they have done.

"They gave the young players of the world a great opportunity and a wonderful stage on which to take their first steps in international cricket and those players and the ICC are extremely grateful for that.

"This tournament could not have taken place without the support of the Sri Lanka Government and Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) under the chairmanship of Mr Jayantha Dharmadasa and they have helped ensure this event will live long in the memories of many people around the world."

The U/19 Cricket World Cup was the third ICC event in Sri Lanka in six years following on from the U/19 Cricket World Cup of 2000 and the Champions Trophy in 2002 and Mr Mani said that reflected the governing body's confidence in the country.

"The ICC knows Sri Lanka is a `safe pair of hands' when it comes to hosting events of global significance like this and they have proven that to be true once again," he commented.

The tournament produced its fair share of great stories, with Bangladesh qualifying for the Super League for the first time in their history before going on to win the Super League play-offs to finish fifth.

ICC Associate Member Nepal beat South Africa and New Zealand to win the Plate Championship and the United States of America took part in the event for the first time, performed with credit and secured a victory against Namibia.

And on top of that, the Super League final saw Pakistan win from a seemingly hopeless position by bowling India out for 71 after they had earlier been dismissed for only 109.

"I watched the Nepal - New Zealand match and thought I had seen the match of the tournament but then we got to the Super League final and that was brilliant too," said Mr Mani.

"India bowled superbly and at the break between the innings must have thought they had the match won but that is the unpredictability of our great game.

"It just goes to show that even a low-scoring match can be fascinating and it was a tremendous advertisement for this tournament and a fitting climax.

"The way Bangladesh performed not only in this tournament but also in the lead-up with a strong showing against England and Sri Lanka and also in the Afro-Asian U/19 Cup is a great sign.

"It shows that at youth level they have huge talent and I am really confident that will be translated to success at senior level in the next couple of years.

"The USA's appearance was heartening not just because it introduced a new side to the tournament but also because it showed there is young talent there, waiting to be nurtured.

"And Nepal's performances were also extremely encouraging as they beat two ICC Full Members and could have beaten two more in England and Zimbabwe in the group stages.

"Their youngsters have performed well for some time now and although, like Bangladesh, we are yet to see that translate to senior success, it is still a very promising sign."

Mr Mani acknowledged the tireless work of both the SLC team led by Tournament Director Mr Bandula Warnapura and the ICC's own events team under the guidance of Mr Warren Deutrom and Mr Chris Nockels.

"All these people and many others, as well as countless volunteers, have put their lives on hold to organize this truly world-class event," he said.

"They deserve our special thanks as they have played key roles in ensuring the success of this tournament."

Mr Mani also thanked the ICC's commercial partners and said their support was crucial in making sure that global events such as the U/19 Cricket World Cup took place.

"The contribution of Global Cricket Corporation together with those of our Official Global Partners Pepsi, LG, Hutch and Hero Honda, our Official Partners Indian Oil and Cable and Wireless and our broadcast partners, particularly SET Max, is invaluable," he said.

"Their support allows cricket to make the massive investments necessary to build the legacy that will sustain the sport for future generations and we are once again indebted."