ICC World Cup chief confident Nick Hockley Canberra will support Twenty20 showpiece

Thailand and Bangladesh have earned the final two qualifying spots for next year's Twenty20 World Cup with both sides to play games at Manuka Oval.

ICC Twenty20 World Cup chief executive Nick Hockley is confident a "knowledgeable crowd" in Canberra will get behind the minnows in their bid to upset international powerhouses.

Australia's title defence will make its way to the capital when the reigning champions meet Bangladesh under lights on February 27 - the third game in a hectic three-day schedule for Canberra fans.

England will meet Thailand before the West Indies face Pakistan on February 26.

Then Thailand will be in action again when they meet South Africa on February 28, before England and Pakistan close out Canberra's schedule that night.

"The Thailand story is just incredible," Hockley said.

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"All credit to the development programs the ICC run. They just went to a bunch of softball players and said 'have a go at cricket'. Look at them now, they're coming to a World Cup which is amazing.

"The ICC is very much globalising this format of the game. The Thailand women's cricket team only played their first match 12 years ago, and now they have qualified ahead of more traditional cricket countries like Ireland for a World Cup.

"It means the women's game has been a vehicle for the growth of cricket.

"Teams from non-traditional cricket countries can now play and compete against the best at a genuine World Cup."

The ICC and Cricket Australia have set their sights on shattering the record crowd figure for a women's sporting event at the final to be played at the MCG.

It seems an ambitious target given 90,185 attended the 1999 women's soccer World Cup final between the US and China at California's Rose Bowl.

But Hockley says "we wouldn't have played at the MCG if we didn't think we would get a massive crowd" - and he expects fans to flock to games all over the country.

"The Canberra crowd is a very knowledgeable crowd. We've seen great support for the Australian women's team there," Hockley said.

"I worked on the 2015 World Cup, and one of the matches at Manuka was Afghanistan versus Bangladesh. We thought originally 'god, what kind of crowd are we going to get there?' It was a complete sell-out and the atmosphere was incredible.

"We'll see a really strong turnout, and that's off the back of a fantastic Test match last summer.

"Little girls and boys can see the best in the world. It encourages more girls to take up the game.

"It also sends a strong message to boys and girls that everyone can have an elite sporting career. We should all have the same opportunities."

THE TWENTY20 WORLD CUP IN CANBERRA

Wednesday, February 26: England v Thailand at Manuka Oval, afternoon

Wednesday, February 26: West Indies v Pakistan at Manuka Oval, night

Thursday, February 27: Australia v Bangladesh at Manuka Oval, night

Friday, February 28: South Africa v Thailand at Manuka Oval, afternoon

Friday, February 28: England v Pakistan at Manuka Oval, night