Mumbai, Feb 8 Cricket Board's president-elect Shashank Manohar is confident that all the Indian venues chosen for the 2011 World Cup would fulfill the requirements for hosting the mega event and preparations for achieving this aim would be constantly monitored by the BCCI.

In a short interview carried in the BCCI's newly launched quarterly newsletter, Manohar said, "all the venues are expected to fulfill the requirements pertaining to spectator facilities, media facilities and, of course, quality wickets and outfield." Pointing out that former BCCI Chief I S Bindra is heading the Infrastructure Committee, Manohar added, "the BCCI has centrally procured modern ground maintenance equipment and has advised the venues to go in for the sprinkler system".

"The Board will be monitoring the preparations constantly," he emphasised.

The mega event is to be hosted jointly by the four countries of the Indian sub-continent - India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

Looking forward towards his forthcoming stint as BCCI chief after taking over the reins from president Sharad Pawar, Manohar said that he would continue to carry on in the footsteps of the Union Agriculture minister "who has given the Board a new dimension".

Manohar said that the younger lot of cricketers who clinched the World Twenty20 Cup in South Africa under the captaincy of Mahendra Dhoni have shown that Indian cricket was "alive and kicking". (Agencies)