New Zealand will co-host the T20 World Cup — but not for some time.
The International Cricket Council yesterday confirmed a bunch of men’s tournaments, covering no fewer than 14 host countries, over the next decade.
New Zealand and Australia will co-host the 2028 T20 World Cup.
New Zealand Cricket chief executive David White said the two countries had a proven record of delivering successful global tournaments and worked well together.
“We’re simply delighted to be co-hosting this edition of the event with Australia, with whom we have a very close and collegial relationship,” he said.
“There is a huge appetite for T20 cricket around the world and we’re very confident of delivering a top-drawer tournament that will inspire and engage not only Kiwis and Australians but new audiences all over the globe.”
White said the recent T20 World Cup in the UAE demonstrated how popular the format had become.
“We’re confident this tournament will be superbly run, have a terrific reach, and will capture the hearts and minds of legions of new fans and new generations of fans.’’
Australia is also hosting the 2022 T20 World Cup, which was supposed to have been played last year but was cancelled due to Covid.
The other feature of the schedule is the presence of the United States, which will host its first major cricket tournament. The US will co-host the 2024 T20 World Cup with the West Indies.
‘‘The ICC has identified the USA as a strategic market for growth that will benefit cricket around the world,’’ USA Cricket chairman Paraag Marathe said.
‘‘A major event in 2024 will be the critical catalyst to improve facilities, develop a professional league, grow the fan base and inspire public and corporate support.’’
Pakistan will stage the 2025 Champions Trophy, the first time it has hosted an ICC event since sharing the 1996 ODI World Cup with India and Sri Lanka.
Hosting the Champions Trophy will come as a huge boost for defending champion Pakistan after New Zealand and England cancelled tours in September citing security concerns.
Australia, however, announced that it would tour Pakistan next year for the first time since 1998.
International teams have largely refused to tour Pakistan since an attack by Islamist militants on the Sri Lanka team bus in Lahore in 2009 that killed six policemen and two civilians.
‘‘I am pleased no end with the ICC’s decision to select Pakistan as a host nation for one of their elite tournaments,’’ PCB Chairman Ramiz Raja said.
