Cricket’s governing body has hailed the “cultural diversity” of attendances at the 2019 ICC Cricket World Cup following Sunday’s dramatic final.
After hosts England’s thrilling win against New Zealand at Lord’s the ICC revealed that 95 per cent of tickets for all games at the tournament had been sold, with over 35 per cent of buyers from England and Wales experiencing cricket for the first time.
A total of 800,000 people attended the 48 games at 11 venues.
The governing body also noted the impact of support from fans of South Asian teams, revealing that they bought over 324,000 of the tournament tickets – the highest number for any cricket event held in England and Wales.
The CWC received over four million ticket applications from across 157 different countries. 18 per cent of tickets for the tournament were sold overseas
Steve Elworthy, the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup tournament director, said: “When we started planning the tournament in 2014 we set out an ambition to be one of the most inclusive and diverse World Cups in the history of the event – and we have delivered.
“We have lived up to the prediction of the Duke of Sussex and if you ask the players they will all agree that they have felt the warmth of the support of their ‘home crowds’ during this event.
“We have also widened the fan base in the UK for the game and attracted a younger and more inclusive audience with more than nine per cent under 16 and 150,000 females attending, this tournament has ticked every box – full houses, diverse crowds and wonderful entertainment.”
Tickets for the final were being offered for as much as £16,000 in the build-up to Sunday’s showdown. Fans were known to have actually paid more than £2,000 for tickets on resale sites.
Around 40 per cent of final tickets had been bought by India fans who were confident their team would progress to Lord’s.
Last week Elworthy said a lack of legislation in the UK to tackle unofficial ticketing resale providers had “restricted” efforts by the organisers restrict ticket price inflation.
Image: ICC
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