India's PM Narendra Modi (L) and New Zealand's PM With T20 World Cup Trophy (Source: AFP Photos)
As many as 14 cities across Australia have shown interest in hosting T20 World Cup 2028, which will be held across the country and New Zealand. However, as reported by CodeSports, only eight to 10 teams can have the final rights to get the T20 World Cup 2028 venues.
The fresh T20 World Cup 2028 update came on Monday. The upcoming T20 World Cup edition, as confirmed by the International Cricket Council (ICC), will have 55 matches, with 20 teams set to participate in the competition during the October to mid-November window.
4-6 Cities Set To Miss Out On Hosting T20 World Cup 2028 Matches
As mentioned above, if 8 to 10 cities get the final green light for T20 World Cup 2028 matches, four to six will be barred from hosting the ICC mega event in Australia.
There six Australian state capitals as hosts during T20 World Cup 2022. The CodeSports report suggests that one of them will miss out on hosting the event this time around.
“We’ve got 14 prospective host cities across Australia and New Zealand vying for between 8 to 10 cities that we can have under our agreement with the ICC,” local organising committee chief executive Joel Morrison said in a statement, as quoted by CodeSports.
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Furthermore, Morrison revealed that the final decision will be taken by mid-October.
“We’re about to enter the next critical phase of the host city and venue selection process, as we gear up to put a recommendation forward to the board and the ICC. The key marker for us (is) to confirm our venues at the two year to go mark, which is mid-October later this year. We’ve got conversations with every single state and territory which again is reflective of the excitement and interest in the T20 World Cup,” Morrison added.
“The final mix of venues and then fixtures across Australia and New Zealand will be based upon the strengths of the submissions when we go through the final evaluation process, and importantly we’ll have an independent evaluation committee that will assist us in assessing the submissions that come forward,” he explained.
Australia Set To Share Equal Hosting Duties With New Zealand
To conclude, Morrison admitted that they want New Zealand to feel like as T20 World Cup 2028 co-hosts in an equal manner. That can only be achieved if New Zealand get a good number of matches in the competition.
“Whether we land on eight, nine or 10 venues again will rely on the strengths of the submissions. It’s important that we get the balance right in terms of making sure within each venue there’s a sufficient number of games to ensure there’s strong engagement within those host venues," Morrison added.
“It’s really important that it looks and feels like a co-hosted World Cup. It’s really important that the community in Australia and New Zealand feel equal ownership of the event,” he concluded.
For those who are unaware, 12 teams – Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, and Zimbabwe – have already qualifed for T20 World Cup 2028.
There will be 30 matches in Group Stage, 20 matches in Super 10 and 2 Eliminator fixtures in T20 World Cup 2028, along with two semi-finals and the final.
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