Auckland, March 23 : More fans will be able to attend the showpiece ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 weekend group matches, semi-finals and final, thanks to changes to New Zealand’s gathering restrictions. The crowd capacity has been increased for weekend group matches, including New Zealand versus Pakistan, England versus Bangladesh, and India versus South Africa, semi-finals and final. Andrea Nelson, CEO of Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022, said: “World Cup semis and finals are special occasions that don’t come around too often – this is a great way for cricket whanau in Wellington and Christchurch to get out there, get together and be part of something special, no matter who is playing. “We had sold out what we had available under the previous restrictions so it’s great to lift capacity and meet the demand which I know will be high. We saw the strong support from Wellington fans for New Zealand v Australia – and Christchurch fans enjoying the action from afar can now be part of the show, starting with New Zealand v Pakistan. “The momentum in women’s sport is building – the timing couldn’t be better for Aotearoa sports fans to get along and support the best cricketers in the world playing in our own backyard. With six group games remaining there’s still everything to play for with only Australia guaranteed a semi-final spot right now.” Geoff Allardice, ICC CEO, said: “We’re delighted that we’re able to welcome more fans back into the stadiums for the closing stages of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022. This has been one of the most competitive World Cups we’ve ever seen in men’s or women’s cricket with close, tightly fought matches and some outstanding performances that have made for compelling viewing. “We know how much New Zealanders love their sport and they have the world’s best cricketers competing for the title of world champions on their doorstep. We’re looking forward to them joining us for what I know will be a thrilling conclusion to a fantastic event.”