London: The International Cricket Council Friday announced $2.5 million package of high performance funding for the five teams that qualify for the 2007 World Cup and giving their matches an official one-day International status from January 1, 2006.

ICC president Ehsan Mani said on the opening day of the ICC Trophy Ireland 2005 that the ICC would be providing the largest-ever grant to the associate members to help boost the development of the sport in these countries.

“As well as the current ICC funding provided to the top associate member nations we will be making available an additional $2.5 million of high performance support to the five teams that will be competing in the ICC World Cup 2007,” Mani said in an official press release here. (PTI)