Twenty20 To Reach Out To New Audience

The International Cricket Council is striving to reach out to new audiences and day-night test matches in order to grow the popularity of the game.

In a more innovative effort to sell the ICC World Twenty20, which starts on June 5, to possible new fans, tournament director Steve Elworthy has claimed they are reaching out to Bangladeshi cricket fans in London who have previously showed little interest in the new Twenty20 format.

Elworthy is now focussing on this population, namely by setting up informational stalls in Brick Lane, in East London. They have reportedly given out various prizes and are running a competition to win tickets. Elworthy claimed 70% of the tickets for the tournament have already been sold and hopes efforts made to reach out to different audiences will result in a sell out.

Additionally, the ICC is allegedly debating bringing back day-night test matches in an effort to keep the format relevant as the popularity of Twenty20 grows. Day-night matches were introduced in the 1970s, and governing body feels that its re-surface could increase popularity.