ECB and ICC to allow 4,000 people to attend the WTC final

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) have decided to permit 4,000 people to the World Test Championship (WTC) final, according to Rod Bransgrove, the head of the Hampshire County Club.

In a first since September of 2019, the ECB has allowed an audience in the stadium for a cricket match on 19 May. In the English County Championship match between Hampshire and Leicestershire in Southampton, 1,500 fans turned up to watch the action live.

Rod Bransgrove told Cricbuzz that there is a high demand for tickets for the WTC final. Explaining how the tickets for the game will be distributed, he said:

"I understand 50 percent of the permitted crowds will be taken by the ICC for their sponsors and other stakeholders and we will be selling the rest 2000 tickets. We have already received more than double applications from the fans. It is a high-interest game and there is a good demand for it."

Will sell the WTC final tickets if ICC and BCCI members don't turn up: Rod Bransgrove

Given the current travel restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rod Bransgrove isn't sure about how many ICC and BCCI members will attend the WTC final. He mentioned that the tickets will be sold to fans if members can't attend the final.

"Given the travel restrictions and quarantine protocols, I am not sure how many of ICC and the Board of Control for Cricket in India members will come for the game. We will be happy to sell those tickets too," said the veteran administrator.

Bransgrove is also eager to welcome the Indian team to Southampton, the venue where the WTC final will be played. He even noted that they are planning to welcome back crowds for the other English County Championship games as well.

"We are waiting for the Indian team to complete their quarantine in India and arrive here. We are ready to host them," said Bransgrove. The other county games of this round will begin tomorrow and those games too will see crowds."

The WTC final between India and New Zealand will kick off on 18 June.