New Delhi - The International Cricket Council (ICC) Tuesday shifted the 2011 World Cup secretariat to Mumbai from Pakistan's Lahore and said India would be hosting a bulk of the matches followed by Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The move comes after the ICC removed Pakistan as co-host of the event due to the "uncertain political situation" in that country.

The matches that Pakistan was earlier scheduled to hold had been distributed between the three other South Asian countries, ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat said at a press briefing in Mumbai.

Lorgat said 29 matches including the finals would be held in India, 12 matches would be held in Sri Lanka and eight, including the opening ceremony in Bangladesh.

Asked whether Pakistan would boycott the World Cup after being stripped as the co-host, Lorgat said, "We will cross the bridge when we come to it."

Lorgat said it would have been difficult to "deliver a safe, secure and successful event" if matches were held in Pakistan.

The South Asian country has seen a string of terrorist attacks in the recent past and a visiting team of Sri Lankan cricketers were ambushed by armed gunmen in Lahore on March 3.

International cricketers have expressed concern about playing in India and Bangladesh as well and Lorgat said a special security directorate would be set up to address the security needs and instill confidence in participants.

"The security arrangements are very important and a special committee would put together security plans for the successful conduct of the World Cup," Lorgat said.

The quadrennial World cup event is scheduled for February and March 2011. (dpa)