The ten Test match playing countries and Kenya qualified for this World Cup automatically, and 5 further teams qualified via the 2005 ICC Trophy, thus gaining ODI status. The field of sixteen teams is the largest ever for the Cricket World Cup. Mello, the friendly cat is the mascot of the tournament.

Participating Teams
Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, India, West Indies, England , Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Bermuda, Netherlands. 

Matches 

Day matches will be held from 9:30 to 17:15

West Indies time. The first innings will run from 9:30 - 13:00 and the 2nd innings will run from 13:45 to 17:15.

The matches will be One Day Internationals. They will be operating through normal ODI rules. All matches are 50 overs a side unless stated otherwise by the umpires or match referee. A bowler can only bowl a maximum of 10 overs per match. In the occurrence of bad weather, each side must have batted and bowled a minimum of 20 overs each otherwise the match will be declared a no-result. If each side has batting and bowled over twenty overs, the Duckworth-Lewis Method will apply in order to gain a result or modify a target. 

 

Laws of Cricket 

The Laws are intended to apply to all two innings matches; the International Cricket Council has implemented “Standard Playing Conditions for Test Matches” and “Standard Playing Conditions for One Day Internationals” to augment the Laws of Cricket. Similarly, each cricketing country has implemented Playing Conditions to govern domestic cricket. Note that the Laws do not provide for One Day or Limited Overs cricket; these modifications have been made by the Playing Conditions for One Day Internationals. Teams may agree to alter some of the rules for particular games. Other rules supplement the main laws and change them to deal with different circumstances. In particular, there are a number of modifications to the playing structure and fielding position rules that apply to one innings games that are restricted to a set number of fair deliveries.

The LG ICC cricket ratings are a widely followed system of rankings for international cricketers based on their recent performances. Until 19 January 2005 they were known as the PwC cricket ratings, when LG Electronics took over the sponsorship of the ratings system. The International Cricket Council has joined forces with LG to produce and promote the LG ICC Test Championship, the LG ICC One-Day International Championship and the LG ICC Player Rankings. The ICC Player Rankings are the official player rankings for international cricket.

The ratings were developed at the suggestion of Ted Dexter in 1987. The intention was to produce a better indication of players’ current standing in the sport than is provided by comparing their averages. Career averages are based on a player’s entire career and do not make any allowance for match conditions or the strength of the opposition, whereas the ratings are based towards recent form and account for match conditions and the quality of the opponent using statistical measures. Initially the rankings were for Test cricket only, but separate one day international rankings were introduced in 1998. 

With the Cricket World Cup coming all players are in full form and all ready to prove their mettle on the grounds. New records will be made and old ones destroyed. Yet some players leave their mark in the minds and hearts of million cricket fans. 

Here is the list of

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