Interview with Michelle Enright, CEO of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia 2022

1. For a woman to lead in the role of CEO is a great achievement. What was your vision when you stepped into the role of CEO of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia? 

I am incredibly honoured to be leading the very talented team delivering the first ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia, especially on the back of the hugely successful women’s event. While it was disappointing for the team when the men’s event was postponed in 2020, the positive to take away from that is that we have had time to really sharpen our focus and think even bigger, which is how we arrived at our vision to deliver event that is unmissable, wherever you are. Whether you are at a match, out with friends, watching at home or anywhere across the globe, this will be an event you simply won’t want to miss. 

2. T20 Cricket World Cup is set to be the biggest global sporting event of the year. What exciting events, entertainment and opportunities will this year’s T20 tournament have in store for cricket fans worldwide? 

The timing couldn’t be better for major events to return to Australia and the excitement and anticipation for the T20 World Cup has been evident in our activity and engagement across all of our host cities. World Cups have an unrivalled ability to untie and inspire a nation and bring people of all generations and cultures together, so our focus has been on delivering a fan experience that focuses on combining those elements of culture and entertainment and that reminds people that Australia is the best major events destination in the world. 

3. You recently spoke about your desire for T20 to be a “giant celebration of cultures and cricket”. In what ways will T20 World Cup inspire a legacy of diversity, belonging and inclusion? 

Cricket is one of the few truly global sports with an incredibly diverse and passionate fanbase. For people all over the world, the last two years has seen us locked inside our state and national borders (and even our own homes!) and took away the ability for our communities to come together to celebrate the things they love. We are planning initiatives to bring together multicultural communities through their interest in the T20 World Cup, including our new digital community SQUADS where fans can come together to share their passion for cricket, celebrate their culture and engage with the event.  

This event gives us a moment in time to celebrate multiculturalism in Australia and we are planning an event that will achieve that purpose as well as sparking a conversation nationally about multicultural inclusion. We hope to inspire more kids of all cultures to pick up a bat and a ball and bring new fans to the game we all love from all ages and backgrounds. 

4. T20 World Cup has recently launched an exciting initiative called “SQUADs” to connect multicultural communities with their shared love for cricket. Can you tell us more about this incredible opportunity? 

SQUADS is a first for an ICC event and it has been great to see these communities grow as we move closer to the event. This is a place where you might come for the cricket conversation, but you will find a much richer experience and it is a fantastic way for fans to connect with other likeminded fans and share their love for their team as well as their passions and experiences outside of cricket. We were fortunate to secure some valuable support from the Australian Government which will see the initiative continue beyond the T20 World Cup and will allow these fans to stay closely connected with Australian cricket. Any fan can sign up to their SQUAD (or multiple SQUADS, if they choose) by heading to the ICC T20 World Cup Facebook page and I encourage everyone to jump on board! And the beauty of SQUADS is that you can also choose to sit with your SQUAD in venue when you buy your tickets so you get to connect with your online community in person, maybe new friends for life! 

5. Michelle, you played a central role in the successful ICC Women’s T20 World Cup hosted by Australia in 2020. Now you will be hosting the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2022. Please share your thoughts on how Australia can host yet another highly successful world-class international tournament to lead the way. 

Having worked on major events here in Australia and experienced many more across the globe, I feel that I am well placed to declare Australia is the major events capital of the world! While we are a relatively small nation, the way the country gets behind its national teams and celebrates major events is like no other. From a cricket perspective, you’ve got the world’s best players coming to play in some of the world’s most iconic and state-of-the-art cricket venues, coupled with the energy, beauty, and safety of our cities and the pure excitement of T20 cricket. That’s the perfect recipe for unforgettable experience.