Dubai: As the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 started today in Oman, cricket fans can also joy with the governing body announcing the dates of the next T20 World Cup, hosted by Australia in 2022.

Australia was originally scheduled to host the event in 2020 before it was postponed due to COVID-19 and now it has been re-scheduled for 16 October – 13 November 2022.

It’s the first time Australia will host the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after a record-breaking women’s event, which was held in February – March 2020. The final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), was won by Australia over India in front of 86,174 spectators, a record crowd for women’s sport in Australia and the second-highest crowd ever recorded for a women’s sporting event globally.

The 2021 event in Oman and the UAE will play a role in determining who joins Afghanistan, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, West Indies and hosts Australia, who have already qualified for the 2022 showpiece.

These eight teams gained direct entry to the Super 12 of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 by virtue of being inside the top eight on the ICC Men’s T20 International Rankings at the cut-off prior to the postponed 2020 event.

All teams who reach the Super 12 stage of the upcoming T20 World Cup in Oman and the UAE will earn automatic qualification to the event in Australia next year.

The remaining four teams from the Super 12 stage of the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2021 will play in the First Round of Australia 2022.

ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Local Organising Committee CEO Michelle Enright, said: “Hosting what will be the biggest sporting event in Australia next year has the ability to lift the nation’s spirits and the timing of the event could not be better for fans across the whole country to experience the joy of live sport again.”

“We saw both at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2015 and in the Women’s T20 World Cup in 2020, the power of major events to unite people and communities through sport and we can’t wait to bring people of all ages and backgrounds together for a celebration of cricket and culture in exactly one year from now.”