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'Wicked' stars Emma Kingston and Zizi Strallen are all set to take centre stage as 'Elphaba' and 'Glinda' and perform iconic songs from one of the globally hit musicals at the opening ceremony of the Women's T20 World Cup next month.
The tournament will kick off on June 12, with hosts England taking on Sri Lanka at Edgbaston in Birmingham in the opening fixture. The performance will take place before the start of the tournament's first match. "Emma Kingston and Zizi Strallen will be defying gravity as Elphaba and Glinda in front of a global audience - marking the first-ever collaboration between a major West End musical and international cricket," ICC said in a press release. The performance also marks the 20th anniversary of 'Wicked' in London's West End, now set to transform Edgbaston into a one-night-only collision of live theatre and elite sport. "The collaboration forms part of the ICC's ambition to elevate the ICC Women's T20 World Cup beyond sport, creating culturally resonant moments that blend elite competition with world-class entertainment and position the tournament among the biggest global live-event experiences," the release further added. Speaking on the same, ICC CEO Sanjog Gupta shared, "Partnering with the globally celebrated production of Wicked for the opening ceremony of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 reflects our ambition to take the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2026 beyond its existing position of a premier sporting event into expanded realms of culture and entertainment. The association with Wicked also helps attract an audience which is increasingly seeking novel, enriching, big-event experiences." Group A features India, the 50-over champions, with Australia, South Africa, Pakistan, Netherlands and Bangladesh. Group B features defending champions New Zealand alongside England, Ireland, Scotland, Sri Lanka and the West Indies. (ANI)
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