The aim for next year’s Twenty20 women’s World Cup final at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) is simple: fill the biggest stadium in the world.

They may have just found one way of doing this. Her name is Katy Perry. 

100 days before the final itself, on 8 March 2020 the same day as International Women’s Day, organisers announced Katy Perry had been booked for the event. Arguably one of the biggest pop stars on the planet, with over 86 million followers on Instagram and more Twitter followers than Barack Obama, Katy Perry is likely to attract an even bigger and younger audience to the event.

The singer has already posted the link to buy tickets for the final on her social media accounts and the goal of selling 90,000 tickets already looks more achievable. The feat is even more likely with tickets priced at $20 for adults and $5 for kids.

Speaking after the announcement, Perry said: “I'm all about celebrating equality and the achievements of women, which naturally happens on a global scale on International Women's Day. It’s no coincidence that I said yes to performing live at the women's final on this day.

“I hope to bring a unifying, electric performance playing some of my most empowering songs for the best female cricketers on the planet and some of my greatest fans, as we all unite to support gender equality and empower people to achieve everything that they desire.”

ICC T20 World Cup 2020 Local Organising Committee CEO, Nick Hockley anticipates the final next year to be a turning point for the women’s game in Australia.

“We are seeing incredible momentum in the development of cricket as a sport for women and girls. ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia is a perfectly timed opportunity to accelerate this change.

“What better way to celebrate than the T20 World Cup final at the MCG on International Women’s Day and who better to lead that celebration than Katy Perry, who is an inspiration to girls and boys across the world,” he said. 

Victoria Sports Minister Martin Pakula is particularly hopeful the addition of Katy Perry to the event will help cricket connect with younger audiences it has not been able to before.

“I have a 14-year-old daughter who is extremely excited by the news, Maybe she’ll attend her first cricket match as a consequence. It’s wonderful.

“In terms of a big international name, this is an example for other codes to follow and I think it is a great credit to cricket that they have not only had the vision to ask the question about getting Katy Perry out here but to actually succeed in doing so. It is a really major coup and it is going to add something really special.

“If we are able to draw a crowd of 90,000 for the final would be a milestone day for women’s sport not just here but globally, which is why we are pushing so hard for it. And none of us knows whether we are going to get there but that shouldn’t dull our ambition," Pakula said. 

The final at the MCG will be played under lights and will be an incredible opportunity to set records in terms of attendance. Not simply in cricket.

In the same week, as the Lionesses set a new record of attendance at Wembley, the Twenty20 women’s World Cup final presents cricket a chance to enter into the history books. If they are able to surpass the current women’s sports record of 90,185 set at the 1999 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Pasadena, California women’s cricket will surely be on its way.