espnstar.com brings to you a brief know-how of the venues for the show-piece event. Here are two of them.

McLean Park, Napier

McLean Park’s closeness to the International Date Line makes it world’s easternmost Test match ground. Though it is mainly a cricket ground, it also serves as a venue for rugby matches. Suited for one-dayers, McLean Park’s square dimensions allow batsmen to score heavily in the opening overs. The wicket is a ‘batting-first’ one as it slows up as the day progresses. The two ends of the stadium are called Centennial Stand and Embankment End. There are four covered stands and a large grass bank opposite the Centennial Stand. The new Graham Lowe Stand was opened on August 1, 2009. The stand was built for the 2011 Rugby World Cup and the 2015 Cricket World Cup as McLean Park will be a venue for both events. McLean Park is considered as New Zealand’s one of the outstanding sports-grounds of international standards. It includes an indoor stadium and Centennial Hall. It has hosted five Tests and 26 ODIs till now.
 
Queenstown Events Centre, Queenstown

Queenstown Events Centre is a multi-purpose sports stadium, located in the country’s South Island area. Opened in 1997, the venue is situated on Queenstown Lakes District Council owned land and is a multi-purpose indoor and outdoor venue. It is regarded as one of the most stunning international cricket venues in the world. Bordered by farmland and nestled in the foothills of spectacular mountain range, the Remarkables, the Queenstown Event Centre is placed in scenic area near Lake Wakatipu. The ground held its first international cricket match in 2003, just two years after becoming a first-class venue. It, however, doesn’t match the standards to hold a Test match. Apart from hosting international cricket matches, the Centre holds several Highlanders rugby games, trade shows, exhibitions, seminars and concerts. It also holds events like dinners and film shoots, including acts such as international icon Joe Cocker, Jimmy Barnes and Little River Band.