Hosts Assam Cricket Association (ACA) is going all out to make Sunday’s India-Sri Lanka T20 match in Guwahati to bolster its claim to host IPL matches in this edition. In a way, this match is going to be a curtain raiser ahead of the IPL matches of Rajasthan Royals.
“This match is not just important for India or Sri Lanka’s point of view. From ACA’s point of view, this match is a trial or is a curtain raiser for the IPL matches which are going to be held in April. So, this opportunity is very crucial for Assam, for the association and for the general sports loving people. We have to present this match in the best possible way,” ACA Secretary Devajit Saikia said ahead of the match.
Saikia further said to make the game more interesting they are introducing some entertainment elements.
“The match entrainment facilities never happened in T20 internationals. We have involved an agency to provide various types of entertainment during the match, like in the IPL. Though there will be no cheerleaders, it’s going to be a very colourful event with DJs and fireworks,” Saikia added.
IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals has already announced making Guwahati as one of their outstation venues a couple of months back.
Saikia also hoped to get the advice from the BCCI’s governing council member Mamon Majumdar who was present in the city. Majumdar is one of the persons who will take a final call regarding all the IPL matches in the next three years.
“For the faraway spectators we have also arranged shuttle busses. They can park their own vehicles at a distant place and take the shuttle buses to the stadium gate,” Saikia added.
This is the 3rd international cricket match at the ACA stadium. In 2017, India played against Australia in a T20 and after that in 2018 West Indies came to play an ODI here. Apart from that, England women played three T20 matches here against the Indian women team.
Though there was an incident of stone throwing at team Australia’s bus after the first T20 match, the following matches have been conducted smoothly.
