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The stage is set for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa, with three iconic venues set to play host to 23 fixtures.
All three stadiums already have storied World Cup histories, having all hosted matches in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2003 that live long in the memory.
The 10 qualified teams will want to write the next chapters with more memorable moments in February; here is all you need to know about all three venues.
Newlands Cricket Ground, Cape Town
When the champions are crowned on February 26, they will lift the trophy in the iconic surrounds of Newlands.
Overlooked by Table Mountain, Newlands is one of cricket’s most picturesque venues and the Cape Town suburb will host the final, as well as the opener and both semi-finals.
With a capacity of 25,000, atmospheres are set to be rocking across the 12 games that the ground will host in total, including four double headers during the group stage.
The action will get underway with hosts South Africa taking on Sri Lanka on February 10, while runners-up last time India will play two of their group games here.
Rivals Pakistan will be the first to face India in a mouth-watering match-up, before the West Indies are their opponents three days later.
Elsewhere in Group B, Ireland will play both Pakistan and the West Indies, before England take on Pakistan in the final group stage game on February 21.
In Group A, Bangladesh will take the Newlands pitch three times, as they face Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and then the hosts in South Africa’s legislative capital.
Whoever takes to the field in February will be hoping to write the latest chapter in the stadium’s World Cup history, with Brian Lara’s two huge knocks nearly 20 years ago among the standout moments to date.
Lara hit 116 runs from 134 balls as the West Indies beat South Africa by three runs, before an outstanding 73 off 40 to fire the Windies past Canada.
Newlands was also the venue for a young James Anderson’s four for 29 in a Player of the Match performance against Pakistan, while Sourav Ganguly hit 107 not out for India against Kenya.
St George’s Park Cricket Ground, Gqeberha
Reigning champions Australia will soon become familiar with St George’s Park, with three of their four group games taking place in Port Elizabeth.
Up to 19,000 fans will be packed in for a total of five matches and the action begins on Valentine’s Day, when Australia and Bangladesh will hope to feel the love from the Gqeberha faithful famous for its brass band.
Australia will then take on Sri Lanka and South Africa in Group A, before focus will switch to Group B as England take on India on February 18 and Ireland and India play the final game at St George’s Park two days later.
The venue played host to five matches during the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 20 years ago, including a rain-affected semi-final between Australia and Sri Lanka, where eventual champions Australia won by 48 runs.
It also saw England beat Namibia thanks to Alec Stewart’s 60, despite Jan-Berrie Burger hitting 85 from 86 balls, while Australia emerged victorious against their oldest rivals England by two wickets as Andy Bichel took seven for 20.
Boland Park, Paarl
Boland Park will host six matches across the group stage, with play getting underway in Paarl when Australia take on New Zealand before the White Ferns play hosts South Africa two days later.
The stadium will host three double headers, with England and the West Indies also in action alongside Australia and New Zealand on February 11.
England then welcome Ireland two days later before February 19 sees New Zealand play Sri Lanka and Pakistan take on West Indies.
The six matches in 2023 is double the tally the 10,000 fans that can fit into Boland Park were treated to almost two decades ago, with just three matches during the 2003 Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Sachin Tendulkar top-scored for India as they beat the Netherlands in the first match despite Player of the Match Tim de Leede taking four for 35.
Sri Lanka then beat Canada by nine wickets as Prabath Nissanka shone with the ball, posting career-best figures of four for 12 before a Yousuf Youhana-inspired Pakistan beat Netherlands by 97 runs.
