The ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 begins in the United States and the Caribbean on June 1 when the world’s eyes will be on co-hosts USA as they entertain neighbours Canada.
The opening match will be played at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, Texas, which is one of three venues in the US set to host 16 group stage matches.
Six stadiums across the Caribbean islands will host 24 group games, all 12 Super Eight games as well as both semifinals and the final, which will be held in Barbados on June 29.
Grand Prairie Stadium, Dallas, Texas, US
Capacity: 15,000
Inauguration: 2008
Fixtures: USA vs Canada (June 1), Nepal vs the Netherlands (June 4), USA vs Pakistan (June 6), Bangladesh vs Sri Lanka (June 7)
The Grand Prairie Stadium is a former ballpark that was the home of the Texas Airhogs, an American Association of Professional Baseball team. The venue first opened in 2008 and switched to football in 2017 when Texas United staged their USL League Two matches there until 2019. Now repurposed as a cricket venue, the arena has a capacity of 15,000.
Grand Prairie, Texas, USA
Major League Cricket matches have already been played at the Grand Prairie Stadium [File: LM Otero/AP Photo]
Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, Long Island, New York, US
Capacity: 34,000
Inauguration: June 1
Fixtures: Sri Lanka vs South Africa (June 3), India vs Ireland (June 5), Canada vs Ireland (June 7), the Netherlands vs South Africa (June 8), India vs Pakistan (June 9), Bangladesh vs South Africa (June 10), Canada vs Pakistan (June 11)
The newly constructed modular stadium is situated on the grounds of Eisenhower Park in East Meadow in Long Island, New York. The venue will host its first game on June 3 when Sri Lanka face South Africa. However, its biggest game will arguably be held on June 9 when India take on Pakistan in their Group A fixture. The arena can hold 34,000 people, but its capacity will be significantly reduced when the temporary stands are removed at the end of the tournament.
Central Broward Park & Broward County Stadium, Lauderhill, Florida, US
Capacity: 25,000
Inauguration: 2007
Fixtures: Nepal vs Sri Lanka (June 11), USA vs Ireland (June 14), Canada vs India (June 15), Ireland vs Pakistan (June 16)
The Lauderhill venue is the most established US cricket venue, having opened in 2007 as an arena dedicated to the sport. It hosted the country’s first T20 international match when New Zealand took on Sri Lanka in 2010. The USA played their first one-day international series here in 2019. The stadium, which was constructed at a cost of $70m, has a capacity of 25,000 people.
Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida, USA
India played the West Indies in the fourth T20 cricket match of their series at Central Broward Regional Park in Lauderhill, Florida, last year [File: Ramon Espinosa/AP]
Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda
Capacity: 10,000
Inauguration: 2007
Fixtures: Oman vs Scotland (June 9), Australia vs Namibia (June 11), England vs Oman (June 13), England vs Namibia (June 15), A2 vs D1 (June 19), B2 vs D2 (June 20), A1 vs D2 (June 22), C2 vs D1 (June 23)
The venue, named after arguably the greatest West Indian cricketer, opened in 2007 to replace the old Recreation Ground in St John’s, where Brian Lara scored a then-record 375 runs in a Test match against England. The first international match played at the new site was a Super Eight fixture between the hosts and Australia at the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup. The 10,000 regular capacity doubles for major tournaments.
Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda
England cricket fans watch day one of the second Test cricket match against the West Indies from a pool at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua and Barbuda, on January 31, 2019 [Ricardo Mazalan/AP]
Kensington Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
Capacity: 28,000
Inauguration: 1882
Fixtures: Namibia vs Oman (June 2), England vs Scotland (June 4), Australia vs Oman (June 5), Namibia vs Scotland (June 6), Australia vs England (June 8), C1 vs A1 (June 20), A2 vs C2 (June 21), A2 vs B1 (June 23), final (June 29)
The venue, which will host the final on June 29, was first established in 1882 and staged its first Test match between the West Indies and England in 1930. The capacity of 28,000 is the largest in the Caribbean and is topped in the tournament only by the 34,000 at the temporary modular stadium in New York. The original stadium on the site was redeveloped many times, but the most recent overhaul was in 2006 before the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007.
kensington oval barbados
The final three overs of the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 were bowled in near darkness in Bridgetown on April 28, 2007[File: Simon Baker/Reuters]
Providence Stadium, Georgetown, Guyana
Capacity: 20,000
Inauguration: 2007
Fixtures: West Indies vs Papua New Guinea (June 2), Afghanistan vs Uganda (June 3), Papua New Guinea vs Uganda (June 5), Afghanistan vs New Zealand (June 7), West Indies vs Uganda (June 8), second semifinal (June 27)
The old Bourda National Stadium in Guyana was replaced by the current venue for the Cricket World Cup 2007 and held six Super Eight matches. During the tournament, Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga became the first bowler in international cricket to claim four wickets in four balls, a feat he achieved against South Africa. The arena has a capacity of 20,000 people.
Providence Stadium georgetown
A view of Providence Stadium as Ireland take on the West Indies in the second match of the ICC T20 World Cup 2010 [File: Philip Brown/Reuters]
Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Gros Islet, Saint Lucia
Capacity: 15,000
Inauguration: 2003
Fixtures: Australia vs Scotland (June 15), the Netherlands vs Sri Lanka (June 16), West Indies vs Afghanistan (June 17), B1 vs C2 (June 19), B1 vs D1 (June 21), B2 vs A1 (June 24)
The ground was renamed in 2016 in honour of the all-rounder who led the West Indies to two ICC T20 World Cup titles in 2012 and 2016. It was previously named the Beausejour Cricket Ground after the surrounding hills upon its inauguration in 2002 and was the first Caribbean venue to stage a day-night Test when Sri Lanka toured in 2003. The ground has a capacity of 15,000.
Brian Lara Cricket Academy, San Fernando, Trinidad and Tobago
Capacity: 15,000
Inauguration: 2007
Fixtures: West Indies vs New Zealand (June 12), Afghanistan vs Papua New Guinea (June 13), New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea (June 17), first semifinal (June 26)
The host venue for the islands is located in Tarouba on the outskirts of San Fernando in southern Trinidad. It replaced Guaracara Park in Pointe-a-Pierre as Trinidad and Tobago’s premier cricket ground in 2008. The ground was selected as a venue for warm-up matches in the 2007 Cricket World Cup but missed out due to a delay in construction.
Arnos Vale Stadium, Kingstown, Saint Vincent
Capacity: 18,000
Inauguration: 1981
Fixtures: Bangladesh vs Netherlands (June 13), Nepal vs South Africa (June 14), Bangladesh vs Nepal (June 16), C1 vs B2 (June 23), C1 vs D2 (June 24)
Located in Arnos Vale, just outside Kingstown, the stadium holds a capacity of 18,000 people and is a multiuse venue, mostly used for football alongside cricket. The first international game was staged there in 1981 between the West Indies and England with the hosts winning a one-day international by two runs. The ground’s first two Test matches came in 1997 and 2009.
Source: Al Jazeera
BDST: 1220 HRS, MAY 25, 2024
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