Introduction

The T20 World Cup 2024 venue marks the ninth installment of this prestigious biennial tournament, showcasing exhilarating Twenty20 International (T20I) cricket among national teams under the auspices of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States, the event is set to unfold from June 1 to June 29, 2024. Notably, this edition will break new ground as it introduces matches in the United States for the first time.

The reigning champions, England, won in the previous edition’s final against Pakistan. This time, the tournament will see participation from 20 teams, an expansion from the 16 teams in 2022. Alongside the teams from the previous tournament secured automatic qualification, as did the alongside the host nations’ next two teams in the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings. The remaining eight spots were filled through a rigorous regional qualification process.

The inclusion of Canada, Uganda, and the United States is of particular significance, marking their debut appearances in the T20 World Cup. The stage is set for an electrifying display of cricketing prowess and international competition on a grand scale.

T20 World Cup Format

The 20 qualifying teams will be distributed into four groups of five each, where the top two teams from each group will progress to the Super 8 round. During this phase, the qualifying teams will be divided into two groups of four each. From these groups, the top two teams will secure their places in the knockout stage, comprising two semi-final matches and a showdown.

Host Countries

In November 2021, the International Cricket Council (ICC) unveiled the host nations for the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup: the West Indies and the United States.[5] This decision came after Cricket West Indies and USA Cricket presented a collaborative bid following two years of meticulous groundwork. The joint effort between the two associations signifies a strategic partnership to elevate the cricket profile in the United States. The ICC has openly expressed its aspiration that staging such a significant tournament for the first time will firmly establish the USA on the global cricketing landscape.

Teams and Qualification for World Cup

The qualification0 World Cup saw the top qualification process eight teams from the 2023 tournament and the two host nations securing automatic berths. Additionally, the two highest-ranked teams in the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings, as of November 14, 2023, earned automatic qualification spots.

The remaining eight positions were determined through the ICC’s regional qualifiers. These qualifiers included two teams from Africa, Asia, and Europe, as well as one team each from the Americas and the East Asia-Pacific regions. The ICC confirmed the sub-regional qualification pathways for Europe, East Asia-Pacific, and Africa in May 2022.

In July 2023, Ireland and Scotland secured their places in the Europe Qualifier, followed by Papua New Guinea from the East Asia-Pacific Qualifier. Canada joined the lineup in October 2023 after emerging victorious against Bermuda in the Americas Qualifier. Nepal and Oman booked their spots the following month by reaching the final of the Asia Qualifier. Namibia and Uganda completed the list by securing top-two finishes in the Africa Qualifier. Notably, Zimbabwe, a Test-playing nation, still needs to qualify for the tournament.

T20 World Cup 2024 venue

In May 2023, Cricket West Indies (CWI) initiated an extensive bidding process inviting countries in the Caribbean region and the United States to host matches for the World Cup.

By July 2023, the ICC shortlisted four venues in the United States, including Fort Lauderdale (Central Broward Park), Morrisville (Church Street Park), Dallas (Grand Prairie Stadium), and New York (Van Cortlandt Park). However, protests from the Bronx community led to the ICC’s decision to relocate the proposed cricket stadium to Eisenhower Park instead of Van Cortlandt Park.

On September 20, 2023, the ICC confirmed three venues in the United States for the World Cup: Lauderhill (Central Broward Park), Dallas (Grand Prairie Stadium), and New York (Eisenhower Park). It was decided to construct a temporary modular stadium with a capacity of 34,000 at Eisenhower Park while also doubling the capacities of existing stadiums in Fort Lauderdale and Dallas through modular stadium solutions to enhance seating, media, and premium hospitality areas.

Furthermore, on September 22, 2023, the ICC announced seven venues across the Caribbean Islands of Antigua & Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, St Lucia, St Vincent & The Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago to host matches. Notably, Jamaica, a member of the associCricket West Indies member association, hosts the World Cup, with the Jamaican sports minister citing cost concerns.

In November 2023, Trinidad’s Queen’s Park Oval was revealed not to host any World Cup matches, with fixtures relocated to the Brian Lara Cricket Academy in San Fernando. Additionally, the Government of Dominica withdrew Windsor Park as a venue, citing delays in completing infrastructural development before the tournament’s commencement.

Following these developments, in December 2023, a delegation comprising representatives from the ICC and CWI conducted a second inspection of the confirmed World Cup host countries in the Caribbean and host cities in the USA while finalizing the tournament’s fixtures.

Finally, on January 17, 2024, the ICC unveiled the proposed design for the modular stadium in New York City, named Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, anticipated to be completed by the end of May 2024.

Stadiums and their Capacity

Stadiums	Sitting Capacity	Matches
Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas	Capacity 15000	Matches 4 (Opener)
Central Broward Regional Park Stadium, Florida	Capacity 40000	Matches 4
Nassau County International Cricket Stadium, New York	Capacity 34000	Matches 8
Arnos Vale Stadium, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	Capacity 18000	Matches 5
Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia	Capacity 15000	Matches 6
Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua and Barbuda	Capacity 10000	Matches 8
Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad and Tobago	Capacity 15000	Matches 5 (semi-final)
Providence Stadium, Guyana	Capacity 20000	Matches 6 (semi-final)
Kensington Oval, Barbados	Capacity 28000	Matches 6 (final)

Conclusion

In summary, the road to the 2024 Men’s T20 World Cup has been marked by meticulous planning and adjustments. Despite challenges like venue protests and withdrawals, efforts by the ICC, CWI, and host nations have ensured a promising tournament. With diverse venues selected and innovative solutions in place, anticipation grows for an exciting event. As designs for modular stadiums take shape, cricket fans eagerly await the tournament’s start, ready to celebrate the global sport of cricket.

Also Read: Who is the best Cricket Captain in the World