CASTRIES, St Lucia (CMC):

Organisers of the Twenty20 World Cup in the Caribbean next year have gone to great lenghts to make sure that tickets are affordable.

Spectators attending the matches will find they have great value offers on tickets, including free entry for children under the age of 16 to all matches in Guyana, and all first-round matches in St Lucia, as well as to all women's group matches in St Kitts.

The highest-priced ticket for all men's first-round and Super Eights matches is US$15, and tickets for the semi-finals - all to be played at the Beausejour Cricket Ground in St Lucia - start from US$10 for adults and US$6 for children under the age of 16.

Ticket price

The highest ticket price for the Finals Day - which features the women's and men's title matches - on Sunday, May 16 at Kensington Oval in Barbados, is only US $40.

"We have worked diligently to ensure that the ticket prices are as competitive as possible and I think fans will agree that they are," said Tournament Director Ernest Hilaire.

"I believe we will meet our primary objective of hosting sold-out matches in a truly Caribbean atmosphere."

Tickets are set to go on sale in the Caribbean on November 1 this year, with sales to the rest of the World commencing two weeks later, on November 15.

The International Cricket Council - the sport's world governing body - is anxious to make the competition a success, following the failure to excite the imagination of Caribbean people during the 50 overs-a-side World Cup two years ago.

"What I am looking forward to is another short, sharp tournament with 42 men's and women's matches over 17 days in true nation-versus-nation action, and it should again be an outstanding and exciting showpiece," said ICC Chief Executive Officer Haroon Lorgat.

"I'm delighted we have retained the men's and women's tournaments in one event with the respective semi-finals and finals being played on the same days at the same venues. This will again provide women's cricket with a great platform to showcase the talents of the top players."

Tickets will be available via website, call-centre outlets and box office with further details to be announced in due course.