All you need to know about the venues of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup

As the great grand festival of the T20 World Cup is all set to begin in a week’s time, it is the perfect opportunity to take a deep look at what’s going to rock the cricketing world in the upcoming days. The tournament will commence on October 16 as Sri Lanka is all set to take Namibia at the Simmonds Stadium in Geelong.

Two teams from each group will then qualify for the super twelve of the competition where the defending champions Australia will take on New Zealand in the very first match of the round on October 22 at Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). Just like the group stage, two teams from each group will qualify for the semi-finals of the competition. The finals of the mega tournament will be played on November 13 at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

Now, that everyone is aware of the format and basic details, it’s time to focus on one of the important aspects of the game. Pitches and ground play a massive role in T20 cricket and all the captains in the world are pretty much aware of that. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, the toss played a huge role and cricketers seemed to be unhappy with that. Will the toss play an impact in Australia as well? How will the pitch behave in general? Look no further -

Here’s everything you need to know about all the venues of the T20 World Cup

1. Bellerive Oval, Hobart

Home to some of the biggest names in cricket, the Bellerive Oval can host up to 20,000 people in the stadium. The first formal match was hosted in the year 1914 but it wasn’t till 1987 that Cricket Tasmania decided to relocate the stadium to the other side of the river. The pitch in the stadium often provides high-scoring affairs and thus, the fans will be up for a treat in the T20 World Cup. Bowling first will be ideal as batting gets easier with time. The Pacers will get a good amount of bounce from the surface.

2. Kardinia Park, Geelong

Kardinia Park or the Simonds Stadium in Geelong was built in 1941 but it’s until recently that it became one of the most iconic spots in Victoria, Australia. The stadium is all set to host the very first match of the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup between Sri Lanka and Namibia but unfortunately will not be hosting any of the matches after the group stage. The stadium hosted only one T20I in its history and often hosts BBL, soccer friendlies and other sporting activities. A total of 30,000 fans can attend the match as the pitch often helps the batters dominate. The bowlers can dominate in the initial phase of the match but post that, it’s a batters game.

3. The Gabba, Brisbane

In what was Australia’s fortress in Test cricket for many years, The Gabba will be hosting four games in the T20 World Cup, including one of the host nation. The first game in the venue will be played on October 30 as Bangladesh will take on the B1 qualifiers in the super twelve stage. The Aussies will play their first match at Gabba against the B2 qualifiers on 31st October. Coming to its capacity, the iconic stadium can host up to 42,000 people and the pitch often favours the pacers. The bounce often plays a massive role in the majority of the games.

4. Perth Stadium, Perth

Officially opened on 21 January 2018, Perth Stadium has hosted multiple international matches including other sporting activities as well. The stadium is scheduled to host five matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup which includes matches of Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, England and others. The first match in the stadium will be played between England and Afghanistan on October 22. A total of 60,000 fans can attend the matches in Perth and the pitch often helps to produce a lot of runs. Expect some cracking games in this stadium.

5. Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney

The iconic Sydney Cricket Ground is one of the greatest cricketing venues in the world. The stadium will be hosting a total of seven matches in the upcoming T20 World Cup including the very first match of the super twelve and the first semi-final of the competition. The stadium can host up to 48,000 fans with the first match will be played between the defending champions Australia against New Zealand. Coming to the pitch, it assists the spinners and remains on the slower side. Scoring runs is difficult but not impossible. If one gets habituated, can score a fortune.

6. Adelaide Oval, Adelaide

Situated in the south of Australia, Adelaide Oval can host up to 53,500 fans in the stadium. Gaining the reputation of one of the most iconic stadiums in the world, Adelaide Oval hosts other sporting activities as well. The stadium will host a total of seven matches including the second semi-final of the tournament. The host nation is scheduled to play just one match in the stadium but can change if they manage to qualify for the semis. 

7. Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne

With a capacity to host more than 1,00,000 fans, the Melbourne Cricket Ground will host the marquee games including the finals of the T20 World Cup and also the match between India and Pakistan on Sunday 23rd October. Built in 1853, it’s the 10th biggest stadium in the world and the biggest in the southern hemisphere. The stadium will be hosting a total of seven matches including the England versus Australia game on October 28. The pitch often provides a balance between the bat and the ball and thus, one can expect high-voltage games every time the team's steps on the field.