London Olympic stadium likely to host 2019 World Cup matches: Report

The London Olympic stadium is likely to get the green light from the International Cricket Council (ICC) for staging some of the matches of the 2019 World Cup.

After conducting a full inspection of the ground, the ICC have found the stadium, with a capacity of 60,000 -- twice than any of the cricket grounds in the United Kingdom -- that the pitch dimensions complied with requirements for One-day Internationals (ODI), according to an espncricinfo report.

However, a final decision on the use of the stadium for hosting World Cup matches is expected in the coming months.

The move is being viewed as an attempt to draw more crowd for some of the group stage matches, similar to those at multi-sport grounds like the Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia and Eden Park in New Zealand during the 2015 World Cup, adding to the excitement surrounding the tournament.

The ICC is also mulling at setting up fan zones around the country to help promote the tournament.

--IANS

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