2016 World Twenty20 final to be staged in the Garden of Eden

Eight cities named by BCCI to host the epic tournament of the shortest format

NEW DELHI: Eight stadiums have been named by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for the much-awaited 2016 World Twenty20 which include Kolkata, Bangalore, Chennai, Dharamshala, Mohali, Mumbai, Nagpur and Delhi.

The epic final will be played in the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.

The 16-nation men's tournament will be played alongside the women's event across various venues in India from March 11 to April 3.

"BCCI is extremely proud to host this prestigious event," said BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur.

"All the venues identified have hosted many prestigious matches. With this announcement, we have begun our preparations in right earnest.

"We want this World Twenty20 to be a memorable experience for our participants and fans," he said.

The final schedule will be announced in consultation with the International Cricket Council (ICC).

"These venues will host matches subject to fulfilling the prescribed requirements of the ICC and the Indian board while adhering to the statutory obligations that are mandatory for hosting an international match," a statement from BCCI said.

The 2016 event will be the sixth edition of the popular tournament that began in 2007. The last tournament was won by Sri Lanka in Bangladesh in 2014.