The expensive silverware to be awarded to the winner of cricket's World Cup in the Caribbean has been damaged while on display in India, organisers said on Friday.

A gold ring below the coins depicting previous winners of the sport's biggest prize got detached from the wooden base of the 11-kilogram (24-pound) trophy, made in England at an estimated cost of 80,000 dollars.

The damage was discovered when the trophy, brought to India by one of the global sponsors of the International Cricket Council (ICC), was displayed in the eastern city of Kolkata on Thursday.

The trophy was immediately removed from public gaze and is being shipped for repairs to England before being taken to the Caribbean where the World Cup opens on Sunday.

A statement from the sponsors claimed the gold ring came unstuck when the trophy was handed over by the ICC earlier this week.

"The lower gold ring of the World Cup was detached from the wooden base when the trophy was received from the ICC," the statement said.

"ICC policy does not allow anyone except the official trophy makers to repair/polish the trophy.

"Therefore, LG (sponsors) received the trophy with the lower ring detached from the wooden base."

There was no immediate reaction from the ICC.

The trophy had been displayed in New Delhi on Wednesday before being taken to Kolkata.

The trophy will be presented to the winner of the World Cup final in Bridgetown, Barbados on April 28.

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)