CAA protests: Assam ready for India-Sri Lanka T20I, buy tickets online

Due to the protests, the Ranji Trophy fixture between Assam and Services was cancelled a few days ago, and the players remained in their hotels.

India captain Virat Kohli in action against West Indies recently.

 

As Assam witnessed protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act for the last couple of weeks, there were speculations that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) could consider shifting out the first T20I between India and Sri Lanka from Guwahati.

But it has decided to go ahead with the T20I on January 5, ‘as per schedule’, and the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) is confident of hosting the fixture without any problems.

“Things are normal now. Like any other international matches, we will need to take necessary security measures, we will do that. (From our end), we are ready for the match,” ACA secretary Debojit Saikia told Sportstar .

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The BCCI had written to the ACA inquiring whether the Barsapara Stadium has facilities for training under lights. “We have informed the board that we have all the facilities available. The arrangement has been going on smoothly and there is no problem at all,” Saikia added.

Due to the protests, the Ranji Trophy fixture between Assam and Services was cancelled a few days ago, and the players remained in their hotels. Even an U-19 Cooch Behar Trophy match between Assam and Odisha in Nagaon was also called off.

“We were monitoring the situation and as of now, things look very positive. The match will go on as per schedule,” one of the BCCI functionaries, aware of the development, said, adding that the online ticket sales for the fixture will begin from Wednesday morning via Bookmyshow.

Once a dumping yard, the Barsapara Stadium hosted it's first T20I in 2017 when India played Australia. Last year, it hosted the first ODI between India and West Indies. Earlier this year, the Indian women’s side played a T20I against England at the venue.

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The teams are likely to reach Guwahati two days before the fixture, but the association is yet to receive the final itinerary from the BCCI.

With not much time left for the three-match series to begin, it is believed that the final itinerary could be sent to all the three host associations after the BCCI Apex Council members meet in Mumbai on Thursday.