10 April,2015 07:25 AM IST | | AFP
Former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ehsan Mani yesterday expressed grave fears about cricket's future, saying he is more concerned about the health of the game today than I have ever been
Former ICC president Ehsan Mani
London: Former International Cricket Council (ICC) president Ehsan Mani yesterday expressed grave fears about cricket's future, saying he is "more concerned about the health of the game today than I have ever been".
Former ICC president Ehsan Mani
Mani criticised the world governing body's decision to reduce the 2019 World Cup to 10 teams and said that many of the game's 10 Full Member nations faced serious challenges.
"A year has passed since the changes at the ICC," Mani said at the launch of the new Wisden Cricketers' Almanack at Lord's, in reference to last year's takeover at the ICC by the boards of England, India and Australia.
In desperation
"I am more concerned about the health of the game today than I have ever been. When I look around, five of the 10 Full countries are in desperate need of help. They are faced with two main challenges: one, not enough money; two, not enough quality cricket."
The five teams referred to by Mani are Pakistan, the West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, and he expressed particular concern about the health of the West Indian game.
