Zimpapers Logo

Zimbabwe cricket players Prosper Utseya (left), Brendan Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza with the ICC World Cup trophy in Victoria Falls yesterday

Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter
THERE was pomp and fanfare when the International Cricket Council World Cup Trophy arrived in Victoria Falls yesterday.
It was an occasion at which Zimbabwe Cricket took the opportunity to make an undertaking to build a cricket stadium in the resort town starting before the end of the year.

ICC marketing and promotions officer Gurjit Singh touched down at the Victoria Falls International Airport from South Africa just before 1PM and was welcomed by administrators and three national team players.

The colourful ceremony started with council officials and ZC administrators visiting the site of the new cricket stadium to be built in the resort town.

ZC spokesperson Lovemore Banda said the facility will be the biggest in the country with a seating capacity of 10,000.

The groundbreaking ceremony will be done before the end of the year, and the facility will be located off Pioneer Road in the industrial site in a basin between the railway line and Chinotimba Township.

“The stadium will be in a basin because this is a heritage area. We thought of having a cricket venue here to promote sports tourism. Our cricketers have played in humid areas and we want them to acclimatise here. The groundbreaking will be in November then work can begin,” said Banda.

ZC chairman Wilson Manase said funding for the project will come from different sponsors and well-wishers as ZC was not spared by economic challenges.