Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons
Gqeberha’s iconic St George’s Cricket Stadium is one of three host venues for the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Tournament to be held in February 2023.
This is 63 years after the stadium hosted the first Women’s Cricket Test Match, in 1960.
Gqeberha will take its place on the international stage with Cape Town and Paarl during the major event, which will attract a global television audience.
Hundreds of team members, their support staff and fans are also expected to stay in the city during the games.
Dr Mark Williams, Head of Mega Sportz, said “we are thrilled to have been selected as one of the hosting cities for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
“It is a feather in our cap that Gqeberha is one of only three cities to be selected for the event”.
Mega Sportz is an affiliate of Eastern Province Cricket and will manage the stadium and games and related events during the tournament.
“St George’s Park Stadium will play an integral role in making this an event to remember.
“The first Women’s Test match in South Africa was played at St George’s Park Stadium in December 1960, so another slice of history will be added to the story of St George’s Park Stadium,” said Williams.
“Gqeberha is a city of action. It will basically be welcoming its own daughters,” said the city’s Portfolio Head for Sports, Recreation, Arts and Culture, Cllr Bassie Kamana.
“The captain of the South African team is Dané van Niekerk, who comes from Gqeberha, the friendly city. “Marizanne Kapp also comes from here.
“We will be welcoming them to come to the city and to take that cup. They are winners. We are winners,” he said.
Responding to the announcement, the city’s Business Chamber CEO Denise van Huyssteen, said “this is a very encouraging development, which represents one of the first major international mainstream sports events to be held in our city since the advent of covid.
“We anticipate that this will help boost much-needed economic recovery activities, particularly in the tourism and hospitality sectors which have suffered immensely over the past two and half years.
“Furthermore, we hope that the ICC Women’s T20 Cricket event will serve as a catalyst in attracting other major international events to Gqeberha.
“We urge all the stakeholders to proactively capitalise upon this opportunity in order to showcase this city and its assets as an ideal location for future outdoor and adventure sporting events.
“It is quite fitting that this announcement has come during Women’s month, thus supporting the advancement of female participation in what has traditionally been regarded as male sporting activities,” said van Huyssteen.
“Women’s sport, and cricket in particular, is taking its place in high profile events and we look forward to inviting the world to our iconic stadium,” added Williams.
“It has been 20 years since we hosted the ICC Men’s World Cup in 2003 and this event in February next year will once again highlight Gqeberha as a sporting destination that can deliver a world class event.
“We are in for a very busy early new year with the SA T20 league taking place in January followed by the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup and our dedicated stadium team are working full steam to ensure that we are ready to provide teams, fans and viewers the best experience,” he said.
