Photo Credit: Cricket South Africa
This week is historically a time when South Africans come together in active citizenry as a way of remembering the legacy of Nelson Mandela. One of Mandela’s greatest beliefs was in the unifying power of sport and a great way to honour him this year is to support the much-anticipated inaugural Solidarity Cup 3TeamCricket match this Saturday, 18 July at 11am on SuperSport2.
“Now more than ever South Africans need to stand together in unity and live the virtues and principles which would make Nelson Mandela proud. As the country braces for its peak, it’s critical that we all adopt the necessary behaviour changes to make the biggest impact as we fight to save lives and overcome this global crisis,” says Nomkhita Nqweni, Interim CEO of the Solidarity Fund.
Made for television, the Solidarity Cup will showcase a return to live sports in the most responsible way possible. Players and operational staff will adhere to strict social distancing and COVID behaviour protocols. This show of solidarity with South Africans who behave responsibly will hopefully encourage all in our nation to do the same. Simply washing your hands properly, wearing a mask and keeping a safe distance are acts of solidarity in their own right.
The Solidarity Cup 3TCricket match is the first live sporting event since the country went into lockdown, and will be broadcast live in South Africa, India, the USA, Caribbean Islands, New Zealand, Australia and the UK. Three teams of eight Protea players – the Eagles, Kingfishers and Kites – will be captained by AB de Villiers, Heinrich Klaasen and Quinton de Kock respectively. While they will battle it out for the title, the Hardship Fund will do the winning as the beneficiary of their efforts.
“The aim of the Solidarity Cup is not only to stand as a beacon of hope, lifting the spirits of all South Africans during this time, but to also raise awareness and much-needed funds to help those most impacted by the pandemic,” says Dr. Jacques Faul, Acting Chief Executive for Cricket SA.
“We are immensely grateful to Cricket South Africa and founding sponsor Rain, together with team sponsors OUTsurance, Takealot and Mr D Food for making the Solidarity Cup a reality. We look forward to a thrilling game of cricket – the first live match for quite some time on SuperSport, featuring the biggest cricketing names in the country. Together with Solidarity Fund, we’re taking a stand to say we are stronger, when we stand together”, says Francois Pienaar, CEO of 3TeamCricket.
For those wanting more information on how to pledge their support and find ways to get more involved in the Citizen in Solidarity initiative visit: https://solidarityfund.co.za/citizens-in-solidarity/.
Name of Author: Cricket South Africa
Cricket South Africa (CSA) governs cricket in South Africa. Formed in 2002, it succeeded the United Cricket Board of South Africa (UCB) and became the sole governing body in 2008. CSA oversees all levels of cricket, including national teams for men and women, and is a full ICC member and SASCOC affiliate.
