The Nelson Mandela Bay metro has welcomed the return of the highly entertaining T20 cricket format to the metro with the establishment of the SunRisers Eastern Cape team, which will be part of the new SA20 tournament.
Sunrisers Eastern Cape is owned by India’s Sun TV Network, which is one of the largest media groups in the country. It successfully bid for the Eastern Cape SA20 franchise.
“We are excited to see the return of T20 cricket to the city,” said executive mayor Eugené Johnson.
Promising local players will be given the opportunity to play for SunRisers Hyderabad in the Indian IPL.
Sports and recreation director Charmaine Williams said the metro’s ongoing investment in and support for the St George’s cricket ground was a result of a long-standing relationship with Eastern Province Cricket.
The metro would, she said, support the SA20 games played in Nelson Mandela Bay “in kind” through the provision of safety and security services, as well as marketing.
