The Barsapara cricket stadium in Guwahati had hogged the limelight last year for all the wrong reasons. In the 2nd T20I in October 2022 between India and South Africa, a snake had come into the field of play during the 1st innings. Snakes crawling into the ground has been a common thing at this stadium.
In the 2nd innings, play had halted for quite some time in the Barsapara cricket stadium because one of the four floodlights had gone off. As the stadium gears up to the host the 1st ODI between India and Sri Lanka, anti-snake chemicals and repellents have been used to keep the snakes and mosquitoes away from the playing premises.
“Apart from fogging to keep mosquitoes away, we are spraying the stadium and the complex beyond with anti-snake chemicals,” said Assam Cricket Association (ACA) President Taranga Gogoi on Saturday.
He also added that around 23,000 tickets have been sold for the highly-anticipated match where the likes of Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul will be seen in action.
Devajit Saikia, the joint secretary of the apex body of Indian cricket, the Board Of Control For Cricket In India (BCCI), highlighted the fact that an ODI was taking place at the Barsapara cricket team after almost 5 years.
“It was in 2018 that we organised an ODI between India and West Indies. We hope to ensure a well-managed game between India and Sri Lanka for the only cricket stadium of international standard in the northeast to host more bilateral or World Cup matches,” said Devajit Saikia.
The entire stadium complex has been deployed with anti-snake chemicals and repellents to prevent the episode which had panned out in October 2022. India will be locking horns with Sri Lanka in the 1st ODI of the 3-match ODI series today at 1:30 PM (IST).
Squads
India
Rohit Sharma (Captain), Hardik Pandya (Vice-Captain), Shubman Gill, Virat Kohli, Suryakumar Yadav, Shreyas Iyer, KL Rahul, Ishan Kishan, Washington Sundar, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, Mohammad Shami, Mohammed Siraj, Umran Malik, Arshdeep Singh
Sri Lanka
Dasun Shanaka (Captain), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Kusal Mendis (Vice-Captain), Charith Asalanka, Dhananjaya de Silva, Wanindu Hasaranga, Ashen Bandara, Maheesh Theekshana, Chamika Karunaratne, Dilshan Madushanka, Kasun Rajitha, Nuwanidu Fernando (ODIs), Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Lahiru Kumara
Also read: WATCH: Young Fan In Tears, Rohit Sharma Comforting Gesture Ahead Of IND vs SL 1st ODI Goes VIRAL
