The historic international match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban last week could become an annual event, according to Cricket South Africa (CSA) chief executive Gerald Majola.
President Jacob Zuma, who attended the Twenty20 game between South Africa and India, had suggested the event become an annual affair, and Majola said on Wednesday that the national federation would look into it.
“First up, CSA would like to thank both President Zuma and the public for making Sunday's match at Moses Mabhida Stadium such a spectacular success, heralding a new era for South African cricket and adding much value to the nation's tourism profile,” Majola said in a statement.
“President Zuma's suggestion for an annual event of this kind at this great stadium is an excellent one.
“CSA's home international tours are governed by the International Cricket Council's (ICC) future tours programme and so we would have to have a close look at how we can repeat Sunday's experience as an extra tour match in the future.”
Majola added that CSA would need the ICC's permission to hold an extra match with international status.
“CSA would also need the co-operation of the Department of Arts and Culture, the Department of Sport and Recreation and the National Lottery Distribution Trust Fund Agency to make the event an annual one,” he said.
“The event was such a resounding success that CSA is confident that it can persuade all stakeholders to consider President Zuma's suggestion most favourably.”
The stadium, built as one of the host venues for last year's Fifa World Cup, attracted more than 50,000 spectators to last week's game – a record for the biggest crowd attending a cricket match on the African continent.
The event celebrated 150 years of Indians arriving in South Africa, and the T20 game was a farewell tribute to veteran fast bowler Makhaya Ntini, the first black cricketer to represent South Africa at international level. – Sapa