Venues announced for ICC Twenty20 World Championships 2007

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today confirmed details of the venues for next year's inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa.

The three venues were chosen for the event, which will take place in September 2007, are Sahara Stadium in Durban, Liberty Life Wanderers in Johannesburg and Sahara Park in Newlands, Cape Town.

The event will involve 12 teams, the 10 ICC Full Members and the two top Associates. Those two Associate spots will be determined at the ICC World Cricket League Division 1 event in January which brings together Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the Netherlands and Scotland.

Commenting on the announcement of the three venues for the ICC Twenty20 World Championships, tournament director Steve Elworthy of Cricket South Africa said: "We are very fortunate in South Africa to have so many world-class venues where we could have held this event and I am delighted with the choices made.

"Durban, Cape Town and Johannesburg are no strangers to world-class cricket events, having each been used with great success during the 2003 ICC Cricket World Cup, and I have no doubt they will do us proud in the inaugural ICC Twenty20 World Championships as well.

"Newlands is surely one of the most picturesque cricket grounds in the world, at the foot of Table Mountain. Kingsmead in Durban has always been a wonderful place to play and watch and when the stadium is full, it is electric. And anyone who has been to the Wanderers Stadium in Johannesburg on a big match day will agree that it is one of the great sporting venues of the world.

"This event is a huge opportunity to showcase South Africa and South African sport to the rest of the world. I have no doubt it will be an occasion to remember."

Further details of the ICC Twenty20 World Championships 2007 will be announced in due course.