The Kensington Oval located in the western part of Bridgetown, Barbados, is one of the oldest cricket stadiums in the world. It was established 153 ago in 1871 and has hosted many domestic and international matches. Let us delve a little deeper into its history and its role in the upcoming T20 World Cup.
Overview of Kensington Oval
| Location | Bridgetown, Barbados |
| Establishment | 1871 |
| Also Known As | Pickwick Cricket Club |
| Capacity | 11,000 |
| Tenants | Barbados Cricket Association (BCA), Barbados Royals |
| End names | Malcolm Marshall End, Joel Garner End |
History of Kensington Oval
The first international match on this pitch was played in 1930 which was a test match between West Indies and England. However, its journey had begun way before that, it hosted many matches in the late 19th century.
It has hosted many important matches but probably the most important was the one between Australia and Sri Lanka in 2007. It was one of the venues in the inaugural season of the T20 World Cup where it hosted many matches including the final battle in which Australia defeated Sri Lanka by 53 runs and became the first champion.
Here you can see the history of international matches held on this pitch:
| Format | Date | Match |
|---|---|---|
| First Test | 11–16 January 1930 | West Indies vs England |
| Last Test | 16–20 March 2022 | West Indies vs England |
| First ODI | 23 April 1985 | West Indies vs New Zealand |
| Last ODI | 9 December 2023 | West Indies vs England |
| First T20I | 20 June 2008 | West Indies vs Australia |
| Last T20I | 12 December 2023 | West Indies vs England |
| First WODI | 25 April 2012 | West Indies vs Sri Lanka |
| Last WODI | 22 September 2018 | West Indies vs South Africa |
| First WT20I | 16 May 2010 | Australia vs New Zealand |
| Last WT20I | 22 December 2022 | West Indies vs England |
T20 World Cup Matches in Barbados
To host the upcoming T20 World Cup 2024, the International Cricket Council has shortlisted 9 venues and Kensington Oval is one of them. It will host the following matches during the tournament:
1. June 2: Namibia vs Oman
2. June 5: Australia vs Oman
3. June 6: Namibia vs Scotland
4. June 8: Australia vs England
5. June 15: Namibia vs England
6. June 21: A2 vs C2
7. June 23: A2 vs B1
8. June 29: FINAL
Tournament will consist of 55 matches while Kensington Oval along with 5 other venues in the West Indies will host a total of 39 matches. Here you can see the complete list:
| Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|
| June 2 | Namibia vs Oman | Kensington Oval, Barbados |
| June 2 | West Indies vs Papua New Guinea | Guyana National Stadium, Guyana |
| June 5 | Australia vs Oman | Kensington Oval, Barbados |
| June 5 | Papua New Guinea vs Uganda | Guyana National Stadium, Guyana |
| June 6 | Namibia vs Scotland | Kensington Oval, Barbados |
| June 8 | Australia vs England | Kensington Oval, Barbados |
| June 8 | West Indies vs Uganda | Guyana National Stadium, Guyana |
| June 9 | Oman vs Scotland | Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua |
| June 11 | Australia vs Namibia | Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua |
| June 12 | West Indies vs New Zealand | Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad |
| June 13 | England vs Oman | Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua |
| June 13 | Afghanistan vs Papua New Guinea | Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad |
| June 13 | Bangladesh vs Netherlands | Amos Vale Stadium, Saint Vincent |
| June 14 | New Zealand vs Uganda | Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad |
| June 14 | South Africa vs Nepal | Amos Vale Stadium, Saint Vincent |
| June 15 | Namibia vs England | Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua |
| June 15 | Australia vs Scotland | Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia |
| June 17 | New Zealand vs Papua New Guinea | Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad |
| June 17 | West Indies vs Afghanistan | Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia |
| June 19 | A2 vs D1 | Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua |
| June 19 | B1 vs C2 | Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia |
| June 20 | C1 vs A1 | Kensington Oval, Barbados |
| June 20 | B2 vs D2 | Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua |
| June 21 | B1 vs D1 | Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia |
| June 21 | A2 vs C2 | Kensington Oval, Barbados |
| June 22 | A1 vs D2 | Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua |
| June 22 | C1 vs B2 | Amos Vale Stadium, Saint Vincent |
| June 23 | A2 vs B1 | Kensington Oval, Barbados |
| June 23 | C2 vs D1 | Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, Antigua |
| June 24 | B2 vs A1 | Daren Sammy Cricket Ground, Saint Lucia |
| June 24 | C1 vs D2 | Amos Vale Stadium, Saint Vincent |
| June 26 | Semi-Final 1 | Guyana National Stadium, Guyana |
| June 27 | Semi-Final 2 | Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Trinidad |
| June 29 | FINAL | Kensington Oval, Barbados |
ALSO READ: Guyana National Stadium To Host ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024