The International Cricket Council (ICC) have announced Melbourne and the MCG as one of the host cities and venues, as well as confirming the tournament’s fixtures for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022.
The MCG will host six matches during the Super 12 phase in the tournament, including two exciting double-headers and featuring the two biggest rivalries in world cricket, plus the tournament’s Final on Sunday November 13.Australia was originally scheduled to host the event in 2020, before it was postponed due to COVID-19 and re-scheduled for October 16-November 13, 2022.
It’s the first time Australia will host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after a record-breaking women's event, highlighted by the Final at the MCG, where Australia claimed its fifth World T20 title over India in front of 86,174 spectators. The attendance was a record crowd for women's sport in Australia and the second-highest crowd ever recorded for a women's sporting event globally.
The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 will feature 16 international teams playing 45 matches around Australia.
Australia will enter the event as defending champions after winning their maiden ICC Men’s T20 World Cup title in 2021. They also enter as one of eight automatic qualifiers alongside Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.
The tournament will formally commence with the First Round phase in early October. This phase of the tournament features the bottom-four teams from the 2021 edition of the tournament: Sri Lanka, West Indies, Scotland and Namibia. They are then joined by a further four nations who qualify highest through the Regional Qualifiers (to be played in February and July respectively).
The top four teams in the First Round then qualify into the Super 12.
The MCG will host one of the most mouth-watering contests in international cricket on Sunday October 23, when India take on Pakistan. The 2021 tournament saw the first time Pakistan beat India in a major tournament of any kind.
A double-header follows when England tackle the runner-up from the First Round’s Group B on Wednesday October 26, followed by 2021 Tournament runner-up, New Zealand clashing with Afghanistan.
The Afghani’s will then kick off the second double-header when they host the First Round’s Group B Runner-Up on Friday October 28, before England and Australia take centre stage for the night match. England will be out to not only exact recent Ashes revenge, but also a semi-final exit in the 2021 tournament, which had seen them account for Australia earlier in the competition.
India will then round out the Super 12 matches at the MCG, when they host the first First Round’s Group B Winner on Sunday November 6.
ICC T20 World Cup Local Organising Committee CEO, Michelle Enright said: “The release of the fixtures gives fans the opportunity to start planning their T20 World Cup experience, which is now just 268 days away.
“By having matches spread across the nation in seven host cities and making tickets accessibly priced, we are hoping as many people as possible will be able to experience the incredible atmosphere that international fans bring to global sporting events, as well as the unique, fast-paced and unpredictable nature of T20 cricket.”
“World Cups are about bringing people from all backgrounds and cultures together and we hope to safely host over 800,000 fans at Australia’s iconic cricket venues later this year.”
Full fixtures and ticketing information are available at t20worldcup.com.
Fans must register prior to 31 January to get the best chance of securing their seats, before tickets go on sale to the public on 7 February.
Ticket pricing remains the same as the postponed 2020 event with children’s tickets available for every First Round and Super 12 match from $5, and adult tickets available at select matches in each host city from $20.
ICC MEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2022 MATCHES AT THE MCG
SUPER 12
Sunday October 23India v Pakistan, 7.00pm AEDT
Wednesday October 26
England v Group B Runner-Up, 3.00pm AEDT
New Zealand v Afghanistan, 7.00pm AEDT
Friday October 28
Afghanistan v Group B Runner-Up, 3.00pm AEDT
England v Australia, 7.00pm AEDT
Sunday November 6
India v Group B Winners, 7.00pm AEDT
FINAL
Sunday November 13TBC v TBC, 7.00pm AEDT
