Australian cricketer Ellyse Perry excited for potential record crowd for a women's sporting event
Australian cricketer Ellyse Perry excited for potential record crowd for a women's sporting event
Australian cricketer Ellyse Perry hopes that hundreds of thousands will attend the women's T20 World Cup Final
VIDEO SHOWS: SOUNDBITE WITH AUSTRALIAN CRICKETER ELLYSE PERRY TALKING ABOUT THE T20 WORLD CUP SHOWS: MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA (FEBRUARY 6, 2020) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1.
(SOUNDBITE) (English) AUSTRALIAN WOMEN'S CRICKETER ELLYSE PERRY, SAYING: "I think certainly in terms of an opportunity this is absolutely incredible for our team and just for the sport in general and for women's sport, like across the globe.
I mean, kind of the thought of having 90,000 people plus at the MCG (Melbourne Cricket Ground) for a final - obviously we'd love to be involved in that final - but more than anything it's just an amazing opportunity and really cool to be living it out." STORY: Australia all-rounder Ellyse Perry has smashed a slew of records in a sparkling cricketing career and now hopes to play a part in another by helping draw the biggest ever crowd to a women's sporting event at the T20 World Cup final next month.
The record has long been held by the 1999 women's soccer World Cup final, which saw 90,185 pack into the Rose Bowl in California to watch the United States defeat China.
However, organisers are hopeful the T20 decider at the 100,000-capacity Melbourne Cricket Ground can trump it -- particularly if the formidable host nation features.
The final, to be held on International Women's Day on March 8, caps a tournament played in the same year and the same host nation as the men's T20 World Cup but significantly, stands alone in its scheduling.
Arguably the first global superstar of women's cricket, Perry will be a major drawcard during Australia's T20 title defence starting Feb.
21.
A huge media scrum jostled for pictures on Thursday as Perry spray-painted her signature on a mural promoting the tournament on a wall in Melbourne's Hosier Lane, an alleyway decorated with street art and popular with tourists.
Her face now shares space on the wall with an image of the MCG and U.S. pop star Katy Perry, who has signed up to perform before and after the final.
(Production: Ian Ransom, James Redmayne)
