Cape Town gets set to give fitting, emotional farewell to Ntini

Cape Town (S. Africa), Jan.9 : Former South African fast bowler Makhaya Ntini''s farewell match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium here later this evening is expected to be charged with emotion.

Apart from honoring Ntini, the Twenty20 match between India and South Africa will also see batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar being honored for continued contribution to the progress of cricket, as also the commemoration of 150 years of Indians in South Africa. It will also pay tribute to the first South African team to tour India in 1991. All that will end with a Bollywood extravaganza.

Though the Moses Mabhida Stadium doesn''t have the dimensions of an international cricket field, the venue is best recognized by its arch and regarded as one of the most beautiful venues built for the 2010 Football World Cup.

The match has been sold out with over 50,000 fans expected to pack into the stadium. It will be the biggest attendance for a cricket match on the African continent.

In 101 Tests that he played for South Africa, Ntini claimed 390 wickets. He played 173 one-day internationals and claimed 266 wickets. He claimed six wickets in nine Twenty20 matches.