The International Cricket Council (ICC) and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) today announced that tickets for the ICC World Twenty20 2009 in the UK would go on sale to the public at 10am (BST) on 30 June, 2008.
And in making that announcement, ICC President-Elect David Morgan made one thing clear above all else: this tournament is designed to be the people’s game.
Ticket prices have been tailored to ensure as many people as possible can afford to watch the 17-day, 27-match, 12-team event that also includes an eight-team women’s tournament, with 15 matches in 11 days, running alongside it.
A key feature of the 2009 event is that 20 of the match days will include two games, showcasing four international teams. This double-header format allows spectators to view two games for the price of one ticket.
The men’s tournament, which will be staged at three venues – Lord’s, The Oval and Trent Bridge – will include the following pricing:
Under-16 ticket prices in the family stands at Lord’s and The Oval, including all group, Super Eight and semi-final and final match days are just £10
An under-16 ticket in the family stand at Trent Bridge for all group, Super Eight and semi-final stage match days is just £8
Adult tickets for the final start at £50 and group matches can be watched from just £30 in London and £20 at Trent Bridge
Group matches for the women’s event at Taunton will be £6 for adults, £1 for under-16s and free entry for Somerset County Cricket Club members and school and youth groups
Both semi-finals – at Trent Bridge on 18 June and The Oval on 19 June – and the final – at Lord’s on Sunday 21 June – will feature double-headers with women’s and men’s matches.
Tickets can be purchased in one of two ways:
Through the tournament’s official website, accessed via the ICC website, www.icc-cricket.com
In the UK only by telephone by calling 0844 847 2020 (cost 5p per minute from British Telecom landlines; cost from other networks and mobiles may vary)
Tickets for fans from overseas can be purchased via the website. The maximum number of tickets that can be purchased for each match day is four (4), although there is no limit on purchases for women’s group matches at Taunton.
Full details of ticket prices and conditions for each of the matches is available at
www.icc-cricket.com.Mr Morgan said: “We are delighted to announce that tickets for next year’s event will go on sale on 30 June and we believe these ticket prices represent great value for money – especially with the double header format.
“They give people the chance to watch a top-class men’s and women’s international event and most importantly of all the prices for under-16s have been set as low as possible.
“It is all part of our desire to ensure this event truly is the people’s game. We want it to be fan-focused, accessible to as many people as possible and to excite the next generation of players and supporters in the host country by giving them a chance to get close to their heroes.
“There will be huge amounts of excitement and enjoyment in fan and family-friendly environments – this is in keeping with the last event in South Africa in 2007 and we want a repeat of that success here in the UK.”
Hospitality facilities will be available direct from each of the four venues from 1 October 2008 and tour and travel packages can be arranged through Cricket Logistics, the official tour operator of the ICC World Twenty20 2009 – a list of its agents can be found at
www.cricketlogistics.com.
The first-ever ICC World Twenty20 event for women will include a fourth venue, Taunton, which the ECB had previously designated as the home of English women’s cricket.
The women’s tournament will involve eight teams – Australia, England, India, New Zealand Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies – the same sides that will also compete in next year’s ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup in Australia.
The men’s tournament starts at Lord’s on Friday 5 June at 1700 (BST) with an opening ceremony and the first match, between the hosts and one of two Associate teams taking part. Those Associate teams will be decided by a qualifying event in Belfast, Ireland between 2 and 4 August 2008.
The tournament is a short, sharp event and includes 14 double-headers, three of them (the semi-finals and final) involving men’s and women’s matches.
The holder of the ICC World Twenty20 trophy is India, which beat Pakistan by five runs in Johannesburg in September 2007, the culmination of a thrilling inaugural tournament.
