Cloudy skies ahead of India’s T20 game against South Africa in Guwahati on Sunday has alarmed organizers and fans alike, evoking memories of the last international cricket match at the venue that had to be abandoned after heavy rain. Enthusiasm among people was high in the run-up to the match, with all tickets for the first international cricket match since the COVID-19 pandemic sold out. The last international match at Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati was a T20 match between India and Sri Lanka on January 5, 2020, which was canceled due to persistent rain.
During a pre-match media interaction, India head coach Rahul Dravid said it’s great to see fans back at the stadium.
“Since June, when business opened, every time we play in India, every stadium is full. That’s great. I’m sure the boys really appreciate the fans cheering for them and hopefully supporting good cricket. I think that it’s a wicket that would support cricket well,” said Dravid.
The regional meteorological center predicts a partly cloudy sky for Guwahati on Sunday with one or two periods of rain or thunderstorms.
The organizers, meanwhile, said they have taken all measures to minimize loss of time in the event of rain.
The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) has imported two “extremely lightweight” field covers from the US. It already has about twenty covers at its disposal.
“These imported covers ensure that no water or moisture seeps into the field,” ACA Secretary Devajit Saikia had said.
The stadium seats about 39,000 people.
Saikia also said additional crowd management measures are being planned as the match schedule coincides with the Durga Puja days and Gandhi Jayanti.
Earlier in the day, Indian cricketers Axar Patel and Umesh Yadav visited the famous Kamakhya Temple atop Nilachal Hill.
They were escorted to the “Shaktipeeth” under high-security cover, officials said.
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Both posed for photos with fans before returning to the hotel.
(This story was not edited by DailyExpertNews staff and was generated automatically from a syndicated feed.)
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