UAE venues to operate at 70% capacity for Twenty20 World Cup
The organisers of the Twenty20 World Cup have advised that host venues in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will operate at 70% capacity during the tournament.
The UAE is co-hosting the 16-team tournament alongside Oman from 17th October to 14th November following the International Cricket Council (ICC) having decided to relocate the tournament from India due to challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Tickets went on sale yesterday for all 45 matches which are to be played at four host venues: the Dubai International Stadium, the Sheikh Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi, the Sharjah Stadium and the Oman Cricket Academy Ground - where a 3,000-seat temporary infrastructure has been built.
However, in the latest issue to impact the tournament, uncertainty surrounds conditions in Oman, where preliminary rounds are due to be played, following Tropical Cyclone Shaheen.
Just two weeks before preliminary round matches of the tournament commence, the cyclone struck coastal areas of Oman, including the capital of Muscat on Sunday.
The cyclone left streets in the Omani capital under water, prompted evacuations from coastal areas while flights were delayed flights in and out of the country.
Despite the event having been relocated to the UAE and Oman, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is still serving as the host of the tournament. The BCCI and ICC have worked closely with host authorities to ensure fans can be welcomed safely, and COVID-19 protocols will apply at all venues.
Looking forward to the event, the ICC advised “the T20 World Cup is the largest sporting event to be held in the region and it will be the biggest global cricket event since the pandemic with fans in stadia.
“In the UAE, all venues will be operating at approximately 70pc of maximum seated capacity, whilst Abu Dhabi has also introduced new socially distanced 'pods' of a maximum of four spectators on their east and west grass mounds.”
The UAE is currently hosting the Indian Premier League (IPL) with fans at a reduced capacity.
Image: The Al Amerat Stadium/Oman Cricket Academy Ground in Muscat.
Related Articles
2nd October 2021 - Expo 2020 Dubai now welcoming visitors to ‘Connect Minds and Create the Future’
16th September 2021 - UAE venues to allow fans for Indian Premier League fixtures
19th July 2021 - ICC welcomes Mongolia and Tajikistan as new Members
6th July 2021 - New cricket oval opened in Abu Dhabi in advance of IPL and T20 World Cup
30th June 2021 - ICC advises relocation of T20 World Cup from India to UAE and Oman
29th June 2021 - Abu Dhabi to restrict access to public places to vaccinated people only
31st May 2021 - Indian Premier League season to continue in the UAE in September and October
25th May 2021 - Remainder of Pakistan Super League season to be played in Abu Dhabi
4th May 2021 - Player Coronavirus infections sees suspension of Indian Premier League
30th April 2021 - Indian Premier League continues despite massive rise in COVID deaths
9th April 2021 - ICC to proceed with Men’s Twenty20 World Cup in India
9th January 2021 - Land set aside for new Afghanistan cricket stadium
23rd October 2020 - ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2020 secures top event awards
7th August 2020 - ICC shifts Australian hosting of Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 while India keeps 2021 edition
23rd June 2020 - ICC says T20 Women’s World Cup 2020 broke viewing records for female sport
20th July 2020 - ICC postpones Twenty20 World Cup
8th March 2020 - MCG hosts T20 Women’s World Cup Final on International Women’s Day
14th October 2019 - ICC T20 World Cup 2020 appoints KOJO Sport to enhance fan experience
2nd September 2019 - ICC T20 World Cup 2020 launches national schools program
10th December 2017 - Dubai Parks and Zayed University encourage young Emiratis to consider leisure industry careers
23rd April 2009 - Cricket Stadium Opens at Dubai Sports City
