South Africa has officially been named as the host country of the biennial Champions Trophy later this year with matches to be played at the Wanderers and Centurion.
Following the attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore on 3 March, the International Cricket Counil was forced to choose an alternate venue for the 8-nation event after South Africa refused to tour Pakistan – the original venue for the One Day International cricket event. Other nations had also voiced concerns over the safety of touring that country.
Sri Lanka and the UAE (among others) both offered to play host but were turned down – Sri Lanca due to concerns over the suitability of the weather at that time of year. The UAE have been noted as an excellent choice for future international cricket events.
The ICC said:
"With the Wanderers and Centurion, Cricket South Africa can provide two world-class venues in what is effectively one location and as we know from the ICC World Twenty20 2007, weather conditions in the area around Johannesburg in September and October are stable and ideal for cricket."
Defenders of the title Australia will be competing along with South Africa, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
Remember to book accommodation in September and October early as this event is sure to bring loads of visitors to the area. Contact Portfolio's online reservations team for our benchmarked Johannesburg accommodation.
