T20 fest to hit Hobart

HOBART is just 90 days away from transforming into a “festival of cricket” after the official fixture for the country’s inaugural hosting of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup was released on Monday.

After Zimbabwe defeated the Netherlands in the final World Cup group qualifier they joined Ireland, Scotland and the West Indies in Group B, which will battle it out in the First Round of the competition in Hobart in October.

Blundstone Arena will roll out the red carpet for nine matches across the highly anticipated global event, the most of any host city, with the venue to hold three double-header first round matches along with another three Super 12 fixtures across five days.

“It’s very exciting having all 16 teams locked in and we are delighted to bring three double-headers to Hobart as well as three Super 12 matches and it’s great Hobart will get to host so many matches,” ICC men’s T20 World Cup 2022 local organising committee CEO Michelle Enright said.

“I don’t want to single anyone out but first of all to have the West Indies, who have won the World Cup twice before, is a team people are going to love to see. Then you have Scotland and Ireland,

so there’s obviously a great rivalry there and then you’ve got Zimbabwe, who are going to bring some excitement. Then with the Super 12 matches you have Bangladesh and South Africa already locked in plus the runner-up and winner of the other two groups, so that’s going to be great.”

Enright said the highly anticipated event, which is expected to attract over 800,000 fans from around the country and the world, would be much more than just on-field action.

“The World Cup is really a festival of cricket as it brings together such a diverse range of cultures from all the teams,” she said. “It’s not just the cricket but all the fans and the singing and dancing and the music that goes with it makes it a really a great experience.

“It’s going to be something really special and something fans haven’t seen for a while and we know Tasmanian has a huge cricket following so hopefully they get out and get a taste of it in their own backyard.”

The World Cup will get under way on October 16 in Geelong while Hobart will host a double-header the next day with West Indies and Scotland clashing ahead of Ireland and Zimbabwe.

The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup will run from October 16 to November 13.