Cape Town - Avid South African cricket fans are in for a treat.
In less than two days the South African Proteas will battle it out against Sri Lanka in the first match of the ICC T20 Women’s Cricket World Cup 2023 live at Newlands Stadium.
According to the International Cricket Council (ICC), following the announcement that South Africa would be hosting the first ICC Women’s T20 World Cup on African soil, the cricket fraternity has been buzzing with excitement.
The ICC in an effort to highlight the significance of the T20 World Cup and rally supporters has been facilitating interactive engagements with its members and the general public.
Earlier this month the organisation hosted several prominent women sporting icons at an event to count down the days before the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
The ICC brought together Women’s African Cup of Nations Cup-winning coach Desiree Ellis, Olympic gold medallist Natalie Du Toit, former Proteas Captain Mignon Du Preez and double-Olympian Caster Semenya for the event.
A spokesperson for the ICC said the event while the event worked to highlight the importance of hosting a tournament of this magnitude, was also the perfect opportunity for the ICC to recognise and celebrate the women for their sporting accolades.
She said: “We not only got the chance to pay homage to these extraordinary women, but we were also lucky to have them show support for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, and they became the only people outside of the tournament to hold the trophy.”
Speaking on the significance of South Africa hosting the T20 World Cup, former Proteas Captain Mignon du Preez said she believes that hosting the Women’s T20 World Cup was a significant step in the right direction.
She said the opportunity showed how far women’s cricket has come from being an amateur sport to now being a viable career option for young girls.
“Girls, this is the moment you’ve dreamed about as young cricketers. You are one step closer to reaching your dream, to become a World Cup winner on home soil. Go out on the field, express yourselves and play your hearts out.
“Have no regrets. Showcase your skill to the world. Always remember to do your best, and God will take care of the rest,” Du Preez said.
The eighth edition of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup will kick off on Friday, February 10 until the 26th, and is expected to showcase some of the most successful and talented teams from across the world, such as defending champions Australia, England, Sri Lanka, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, two-time tournament winner West Indies, Bangladesh and Ireland.
The Western Cape government has also called on the general public, cricket enthusiasts and curious fans to wholly support the T20 World Cup, citing that it was events such as the world cup that positively contributed to the revitalisation of the province’s economy.
Cultural Affairs and Sport MEC Anroux Marais said: “Events such as these bring spectators together in a unified, safe space and are catalysts for building social capital.
“We are especially excited to see the growth of women’s sport, as we want to empower our girls and women through the supportive and safe networks of sport.”