Halfway there! 50,000 tickets sold to T20 World Cup decider

What was once a bold dream of filling the Melbourne Cricket Ground for the final of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup is on track to becoming a reality, with more than 50,000 tickets already snapped up for the decider on March 8.

In the months preceding the tournament, the ICC and Cricket Australia laid bare their ambition to break the record for the highest attendance at a standalone women’s sporting fixture, which currently stands at 90,185.

Now at the halfway mark of the group stage, the number of tickets sold to the decider at the MCG represents more than twice the number of tickets which were pre-sold before the final of the 2017 Women’s Cricket World Cup final at Lord’s. That match between England and India was played in front of a capacity crowd.

Australian fans have turned out in droves to support their top-ranked national team this tournament. The hosts, despite a rocky start to the tournament, remain in the box seat to secure a semi-final berth.

The opening match between Australia and India attracted 13,432 fans to Sydney Showground Stadium, a record crowd for a standalone women’s cricket match in Australia.

Similarly, the 5,614 fans that turned out to Manuka Oval to watch Australia trounce Bangladesh on Monday night helped break the attendance record for a standalone women’s cricket match in Canberra.

With the hope of filling the MCG seemingly dependent on Australia’s presence in the final, tournament organisers and fans alike will be bolstered by the hosts’ comprehensive victory over Bangladesh to set up a knock-out clash with New Zealand at Junction Oval on Monday.

Should Australia prevail against New Zealand, they will join India as the second Group A semi-finalist.

In Group B, the path to the semi-finals is less clear-cut, however England and South Africa remain front-runners to progress to the double-header on March 5 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Joining the two finalists at the MCG on International Women’s Day is global pop superstar Katy Perry, who is set to play the pre-game show before returning to the stage for a full hour after the conclusion of the match. 

Tickets to the finals are available from just $20 for adults and all children’s tickets are $5.