THE Proteas and India are in line to play a Twenty20 international at Durban's Moses Mabhida Stadium in January, watched by the biggest crowd in South African cricket history.
Negotiations are taking place between the stadium, the KZN Cricket Union and Cricket South Africa to organise the match which would take place during India's tour of South Africa. The match would, among other things, mark the 150th anniversary of the first Indian settlers in South Africa.
The stadium, built for the soccer World Cup, would probably attract a crowd of 50 000. Kingsmead can only host about 22 000 people.
Cricket South Africa has sent its grounds consultant, Peter Muzzell, to assess the possibilities, and it is understood he is upbeat that the match could - from a cricketing point of view - take place.
Cricket South Africa's chief executive, Gerald Majola, was cautious when approached about the match taking place.
"We're looking at various options, but I can confirm that the Moses Mabhida Stadium is an exciting possibility and that talks are taking place," he said.
Majola pointed out that the venue still had to be passed as fit to host an international cricket match by the International Cricket Council as well as CSA. He said the nature of the pitch - whether it would be of the drop-in variety or not - still had to be assessed in cricketing and financial terms.
It is believed, however, that a business plan assessing the feasibility of the match is being worked on.
KZN Cricket Union chief executive Jesse Chellan confirmed that they were working with CSA, but emphasised that it was early days.
"If all goes well, it would be a very exciting event, innovative and distinctive, that would take cricket forward in this country. There are big plans in the pipeline, but people shouldn't get their hopes up yet," he said.
The stadium's marketing and communications manager, Lara McLeod, confirmed that Moses Mabhida "could host cricket".