Tournament director Ratnakar Shetty confirmed to The Associated Press via text message that organizers had got a go-ahead for the two venues, which had been slow in renovation work.

The Eden Gardens had lost its marquee match between India and England on Feb. 27 but will host three other games - South Africa vs. Ireland on March 15, Ireland vs.

Netherlands on March 18 and Zimbabwe vs. Kenya on March 20.

Mumbai, which hosts the final on April 2 apart from Canada vs. New Zealand on March 13 and New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka on March 18, had a provisional clearance.
 

DHAKA: Bangladeshi authorities have launched a campaign against mosquitoes at World Cup venues to ensure a bite-free experience for the hundreds of thousands coming to watch the cricket.

The tournament is the biggest international sporting event Bangladesh has hosted since its independence in 1971 and organizers want to ensure the players, officials and spectators enjoy the event.

The country, which attracts few international visitors, is co-hosting the event with its giant neighbors. Dhaka health department chief Nasir Uddin said Monday that hundreds of workers were spraying stadiums with insecticides and draining stagnant waters and drains where mosquitoes breed as part of the drive.
 

DHAKA: Matt Prior said on Monday that a buoyant England were using their barren run at the World Cup as a major motivation for glory this time around.

Despite being one of the game's major forces, England are yet to win cricket's showpiece tournament - although they did manage to reach the final in 1979, 1987 and 1992.

Wicketkeeper-batsman Prior said England's rediscovered confidence stemmed from their World Twenty20 triumph last year and the drubbing of Australia in the Ashes series Down Under after a gap of 24 years.

"Before the T20 World Cup, England had never won an ICC (International Cricket Council) event," he said. "It was 24 years before England won the Ashes in Australia. So we see it as a challenge.

"We know what the records suggest. We have got a very strong team and big belief, a strong belief in this team. You know records are there to be broken so that will not stand in our way.
 

BANGALORE: India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni was grappling with a selection puzzle Monday after a match-winning performance by leg-spinner Piyush Chawla in a World Cup warm-up game against Australia.

Chawla, who returned to the one-day side during a recent series in South Africa after a three-year break, was a surprise inclusion in a World Cup squad already including specialist spinners Harbhajan Singh and Ravichandran Ashwin.

With part-time spinners Yuvraj Singh, Virender Sehwag and Yusuf Pathan further bolstering the slow bowling department, Chawla's selection sparked a debate.

But the baby-faced bowler forced the Indian team management into a serious rethink on their playing eleven after picking off four wickets for 31 runs to fashion India's unlikely 38-run win in Bangalore on Sunday.
 

COLOMBO: Recalled West Indies batsman Ramnaresh Sarwan declared Monday that his side was determined to silence critics who have predicted an embarrassing World Cup flop.

"We are not too concerned about what people say," the 30-year-old said after a team practice session in Colombo.

"We are focused on what we have to do, and that is to play well as a team, and if we do that everything will take care of itself." The experienced Sarwan notched a match wining 123 to guide the West Indies to a comfortable 61-run victory in a warm-up match against Kenya on Saturday after losing four early wickets.

They now take on Sri Lanka in their last warm-up match on Tuesday before the World Cup.