East London to stage international cricket triangular

The Proteas women will contest a blockbuster T20 International Tri-Series against India and the West Indies at Buffalo Park in East London from January 19 to February 2 2023.

The series, announced by Cricket SA on Thursday, will play an integral part in the final stages of the team’s preparation for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 in SA.

All seven matches will be played at Buffalo Park in what will be a mouth-watering contest featuring World Cup hosts SA, 2016 T20 world champions the Windies and India, runners-up of the 2020 T20 World Cup.  

The three teams will play two T20I encounters against each side in a battle for a place in the Tri-Series final, before the nations switch to World Cup mode with the tournament contested in Cape Town, Paarl and Gqeberha, February 10-26.  

SA’s T20 World Cup opponents in Group A include Sri Lanka, New Zealand as well as Bangladesh and five-time champions, Australia.  

Most of the Proteas squad and emerging players spent 10 days in East London honing their skills in coastal conditions, which most of their matches will be played under.

Captain Dané van Niekerk also attended the training camp, having returned from injury and again ready to lead the Proteas.

India and West Indies will also relish the opportunity to get used to the pace of coastal pitches as they too wrap up their preparations for the World Cup.

Border president Simphiwe Ndzundzu said hosting the series in BCM would stimulate interest in the game in the region.

“Having India and West Indies play here at Buffalo Park will help us in terms of growth of women’s cricket in the Border region because it is not at the level we want.

“We want women’s cricket to be the same as the men’s in terms of the number of clubs and players.

“We are going to make sure young girls from schools around here come to watch these three international teams so they can get a sense of how women’s cricket is played at the highest level.”

CSA director of cricket Enoch Nkwe said: “With the eyes of the cricketing world set to converge on SA for the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup, we are pleased to welcome India and the West Indies to our shores as head coach Hilton Moreeng and the team complete their readiness for the global showpiece in February.  

“These two sides are up there with the most talented and entertaining nations in women’s T20 cricket, having featured in two of the last four finals, with the West Indies lifting the trophy in 2016.  

“This will give the Momentum Proteas a highly competitive build-up to the ultimate prize of the T20 World Cup.”

The Women’s T20I Tri-Series fixtures at Buffalo Park are:

Thursday, January 16: SA vs India, 7pm

Saturday, January 21: SA vs West Indies, 3pm

Monday, January 23: India vs West Indies, 7pm

Wednesday, January 25: SA vs West Indies, 3pm

Saturday, January 28: SA vs India, 7pm

Monday, January 30: West Indies vs India, 3pm

Thursday, February 2: Final, 3pm

— Additional reporting by Anathi Wulushe, Cricket SA