LONDON, CMC – West Indies will have added incentive to win the World Cup starting later this month after the International Cricket Council yesterday announced a record US$4 million jackpot for the champions.
The tournament, which runs from May 30 to July 14, will see the Windies along with hosts England, defending champions Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and Sri Lanka, all challenging for top honours.
All 10 teams will face each other in a round-robin group stage, with the top four advancing to the semi-finals.
The losing semi-finalists will pick up US$800 000 each while the losing finalists will collect US$2 million.
Teams will earn US$40 000 for each match they win in the preliminary round while the six teams that miss out on the final four will get $100 000 each.
The prize money is part of an overall US$10 million payout for the tournament in which West Indies are two-time champions, having won the first two editions in 1975 and 1979.
West Indies, who are taking on Bangladesh in the final of the Tri-Nations Series in Dublin on Friday, will begin a one-week camp at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Saturday before facing New Zealand and South Africa in official warm-up matches on May 26 and 28.
The Caribbean side face Pakistan in their first match of the World Cup on May 31 at Trent Bridge in Nottingham.
