Left to Right: Dior Costello, Bec Cody, Member for Murrumbidgee with Cricket ACT CEO Cameron French and Ben McGregor at the announcement this morning. Photo: Supplied.
Manuka Oval will host five matches of the ICC Women’s World T20 in 2020 when the pinnacle of T20 cricket comes to Australia for the first time.
ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the ACT Government was excited that elite cricket competition was coming to the capital.
“The ACT Government is delighted to be a host city for the Women’s T20 cricket 2020 tournament,” Mr Barr said.
“Canberrans demonstrated their eagerness for international women’s cricket during the recent women’s Ashes series, where Manuka Oval recorded the highest match attendance for the series.”
“The Government made a commitment during the 2016 election to increase our support for professional women’s sport, with our participation in this tournament joining a host of other investments the Government has made to bring world-class women’s sporting events to the capital. This includes Super Netball, AFLW and regular W-League and WNBL fixtures.”
Cricket ACT CEO Cameron French believes the ICC World Women’s T20 2020 will help grow the public’s interest in women’s cricket at all levels in Canberra.
“Being afforded the opportunity to host matches for an event of this calibre will not only showcase Canberra’s world-class facilities to Australia and to the globe but will importantly inspire the next generation of young girls and boys in the ACT to pick up a cricket bat or ball.”
“We look forward to hosting the best T20 cricketers in the world in 2020 and to delivering successful and well-attended matches at Manuka Oval,” Mr French said.
For the first time in history, the T20 events will be held as stand-alone women’s and men’s events, giving the best female and male cricketers respective opportunities to capture the attention of the country and the world.
Women’s matches will run from 21 February to 8 March 2020 and the men’s matches will run from 18 October to 15 November 2020.
ICC World Twenty20 2020 local organising committee chief executive Nick Hockley highlighted the benefits that would come from hosting T20 cricket’s showpiece event.
“Australia is a sporting nation, with diverse and passionate fans who love cricket. We’ve designed the ICC World T20, comprising standalone women’s and men’s events, to be more inclusive, more accessible and more connected than ever before, so that everyone can join in.”
“Major events of this scale are all about partnerships. We look forward to working with host cities, their communities, and all partners to deliver a spectacular celebration in 2020, including welcoming thousands of international visitors to attend matches and be part of it,” Mr Hockley said.
Fans can register for the latest information at icc-cricket.com/worldt20
Are you happy to see the Women’s T20 World Cup come to Canberra in 2020? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.
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