GUWAHATI: The smooth conduct of the one-day international (ODI) cricket match between India and Sri Lanka at the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) Stadium at Barsapara here this Tuesday could make the city a strong contender for hosting a match of the ICC Men’s World Cup later this year.
As the city prepares to host the first of the three ODIs between the two nations, the effort on the part of the stakeholders, and the spectators included, would be to tick the right boxes and leave no stone unturned to impress and make its case even stronger.
“This match is very crucial for the city considering the fact that the ICC World Cup is fast approaching. It will for sure be closely monitored, and if things go well, the Assam Cricket Association might stand a chance to host a World Cup match,” BCCI joint secretary and former ACA secretary Devajit Saikia said while addressing media persons here on Saturday.
“Therefore, the support of all the stakeholders, including the spectators and the people of the city, will be imperative to make this ODI a grand success,” Saikia said.
ACA’s stake is not just on behalf of Assam, but on behalf of all the eight states of the northeastern region as the ACA Stadium is the only international cricket venue in the region.
The BCCI, for its part, has not finalised the venues for the World Cup to be held in October-November this year.
On behalf of the Assam Cricket Association, he also expressed his gratitude to BCCI president Roger Binny and BCCI secretary Jay Shah for allotting two international matches to ACA within a short span of less than four months.
Meanwhile, three days ahead of the ODI, the Assam Cricket Association, Assam Police, and Kamrup Metro district administration on Saturday reviewed all aspects, including security and traffic management, for the smooth conduct of the match.
ACA president Taranga Gogoi said all the necessary preparations were being made and all arrangements are done in order to host the match in a successful manner.
Responding to complaints regarding overcharged food items and packaged drinking water, Gogoi assured that the Assam Cricket Association would take punitive measures against any vendor who violates the norms.
In relation to that, he also asked the spectators to video record any such violation, so that, if found guilty, those vendors could be blacklisted.
The ACA chief also sought the support and cooperation of the people to make the event a success.
Kamrup Metro deputy commissioner Pallav Gopal Jha said the spectators would be allowed to bring only wallets, mobile phones, car keys, and the national flag without sticks into the stadium.
In regard to security and allied aspects, Commissioner of Police, Guwahati, Diganta Barah said adequate measures were being taken to conduct the match peacefully while ensuring the spectators enjoy the match.
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He, at the same time, said the gates to the stadium will be opened three hours before the scheduled start of the match (1.30pm) to avoid any possibility of rush.
The Guwahati police commissioner also requested the people to avoid communication to the stadium by private cars to avoid traffic snarls.
The DCP (traffic) also laid out a traffic plan for people to smoothly commute to and from the stadium on match day.
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