Melbourne Cricket Ground final could set new attendance record

AAP

30 Jan, 2018 04:00 PM2 mins to read

Australian women's captain Meg Lanning speaks to the media following the announcement of the 2020 World Twenty20 tournament at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Photo / AAP

A world record for attendance at a women's sporting event could be set with the Melbourne Cricket Ground to host stand-alone finals for the men's and women's T20 World Cups in 2020.

Ten countries will compete in the women's T20 in February and March of 2020, before 16 men's teams arrive for their tournament in October and November of that year. It's the first time the men's and women's competitions have been split when both played in the same year.

Both women's semifinals will be held in Sydney before the final is held at the 100,000-capacity MCG.

The International Cricket Council are talking up the potential for a near-sellout at the March 8 decider which has been scheduled to coincide with International Women's Day.

That could potentially beat the 90,185 crowd that packed out the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California in 1999 for the women's football World Cup final between the USA and China.

At least 70,000 fans packed out India's Eden Gardens in 1997 when Australia faced New Zealand in the women's 50-over World Cup final.

Australia's side, led by superstar batter Meg Lanning, have won three of five world T20s and will be out to reclaim the title during this year's tournament in the West Indies.

"It's very exciting to think about - to potentially play in front of over 90,000 people," Lanning said. "I think it just shows where the women's game is at. It's always evolving and it's exciting to see where it is in 2020."

The men's semifinals will be split between the SCG and Adelaide Oval before also culminating at the MCG.

Eight cities in total will be used between the two tournaments.

Hobart and Geelong will feature in the men's group stage while Canberra, the Waca, Melbourne's Junction Oval and Spotless Stadium are to each host women's group matches.

Australia's six main venues will then be used for the Super 12 stage of the men's tournament.