Twenty20 World Cup organisers slash ticket price

London, Aug 31 (UNI) Having learnt lessons from the heavily criticised Caribbean World Cup, the organisers of the inaugural World Twenty20 Championship in South Africa has decided to slash the ticket prices to minimum to attract local interest.

The World Cup in the West Indies had seen poorly attended games and a lack of local flavour due to expensive ticket prices and strict rules against taking musical instruments into cricket grounds.

''We have learnt from issues about the lack of attendances and local flavour in the West Indies. So, we have decided to reduce the ticket prices,'' tournament director Steven Elworthy told BBC Sport.

In West Indies, the ticket price for the final had ranged from 49 to 149 pounds and 37 pounds for the Super Eight matches.

In sharp difference, the cheapest ticket for any game in the Twenty20 mega event from September 11 to 24 will price at 1.38 pounds, while the most expensive for the final will be available for 11 pounds.

''From a ticket pricing perspective we have priced them really competitively and it's reflected in our sales. We have tried to make sure it's affordable. The top end tickets are not too high and the bottom end are seriously accessible,'' the former South Africa Test bowler said.

The 42-year-old said, ''It was discussed at length and eventually we came up with this formula which has a very big South African flavour.'' ''Some of the high-profile games are sold out -- the opening game, the final and both the semi-finals. One or two of the double-headers are close to being sold-out.'' According to Elworthy, the ticket prices are similar to the cost of watching their domestic Twenty20 cricket and lower than for a one-day international game in South Africa.

UNI