Australia will host the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup in 2015. Details of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, which will be jointly hosted with New Zealand, were announced today at simultaneous events in Melbourne and the New Zealand capital, Wellington.
The event, the first to be staged in Australia and New Zealand since 1992, will be held from 14 February to 29 March and will see 14 cities throughout the two countries host 49 matches over 44 days.
The 14 host cities are: Adelaide, Auckland, Brisbane, Canberra, Christchurch, Dunedin, Napier, Nelson, Hamilton, Hobart, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney and Wellington.
Christchurch, still rebuilding from the devastating earthquake in 2011, will host the opening match at Hagley Oval. The first match in Australia, later on the same day, will see the MCG host traditional rivals Australia and England.
Speaking in Melbourne, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd highlighted the benefits in terms of tourism and trade that would come from hosting the battle for cricket's biggest prize. "This is one of the biggest events in world sport," Rudd said. "It will attract cricket fans from around the globe and also promote Australia and our close friend New Zealand internationally-especially in India and other parts of South Asia." Chief Executive of the Local Organising Committee, John Harnden, said ticket prices would not be announced until later in the year but would be affordable. If Australia qualifies for the quarter finals it will play that match at Adelaide Oval. If New Zealand team qualifies for the quarter finals it will play that match in Wellington.
Other quarter-finalists will be allocated to venues at the end of the pool stage by the Event Technical Committee based on travel and rest requirements. Should Australia go on to qualify for the semi-final it will play that match at the SCG unless it is playing New Zealand, in which case the team finishing higher in the pool stage will have home ground advantage.
More From This Section
Australia will travel to New Zealand to play the Blackcaps at Eden Park on 28 February while if New Zealand makes it through to the final it will play in Melbourne on 29 March. This means all of the teams in the tournament will have to play in both countries if they want to lift the trophy.
The results of the Pepsi ICC World Cricket League Championship 2011-2013 will produce the first two qualifying teams, with Ireland already progressing to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 earlier this year and one other qualifier to be known by October.
The final two spots will be determined through the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier to be hosted in New Zealand during January and February 2014.
