The ICC has announced Cape Town, Gqeberha, and Paarl as the three host cities for the main event.
The eighth edition of the highly anticipated Women’s T20 World Cup will begin on Friday, February 10 in South Africa. This is the first time the showpiece event has been held on African soil, as well as the first senior ICC World Cup hosted in the country since 2007.
Ten teams will compete for the prestigious trophy over the course of 15 days, culminating with the championship match on February 26. Group A includes Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh, while Group B includes England, India, Pakistan, the West Indies, and Ireland.
The competition is set up so that each team plays every other team in their respective groups once, and the top two teams from each group advance to the semi-finals. Australia is the defending champion and currently tops the Women’s T20I Team Rankings.
Given their recent performances, the team has been tipped to defend the title when they kick off their campaign on February 11 against New Zealand. Meanwhile, Harmanpreet Kaur’s India takes on Pakistan in a high-octane match on February 12.
On the eve of the Women’s T20 World Cup, we take a look at the three venues announced by the International Cricket Council.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 venue
Boland Park, Paarl
Given the setting, Paarl’s Boland Park is one of the most picturesque grounds in the world, and any competition held here is undoubtedly exciting to watch. The stadium, with a seating capacity of 10,000, is the shortest of the three host venues. Furthermore, the smaller boundaries, combined with the fast outfield, can help batters, and teams can anticipate a run-fest on the field. In terms of the main event, Paarl will host six group stage games, the second most of any of the three venues.
St George’s Park Cricket Ground, Gqeberha
The St George’s Park Cricket Ground in Gqeberha is located within view of the coast and is home to one of South Africa’s oldest cricket clubs, Port Elizabeth Cricket Club. With a seating capacity of 19,000, fans will be able to watch up to five matches of the marquee event on the ground. The surface has plenty of bounce, which bowlers will look to take advantage of as the tournament progresses.
Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town
The stadium in Cape Town will host 12 matches, including two semi-finals and the final. It is considered one of the most beautiful cricket grounds in the world due to its proximity to Devil’s Peak and Table Mountain, both of which can be seen from the venue. The stadium, which opened in 1888 and has a capacity of 25,000 people, will most likely be packed with fans throughout the intense knockout matches. The 22-yard strip is beneficial to both bowlers and batters. Throughout the competition at this venue, fans will witness an exciting battle between bat and ball.
