The Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) has installed new floodlights in one of the practice pitch arenas of the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium ahead of the 2023 ODI World Cup.
The stadium that boasts 14 practice pitches to accommodate the requirements of visiting teams on two adjacent grounds inside the arena had floodlight facilities at only one practice ground till now.
“We have installed new floodlights on the other ground that meet ICC standards, and both practice grounds are ready to host the teams for the World Cup. The lux levels will be different as we have acquired top-quality lights, and there won’t be any issues. The stadium will get a new look under lights,” Suneel Kante, CEO of HCA told Sportstar.
Ahead of the quadrennial event, the ODI World Cup trophy arrived in Hyderabad, and the trophy was on display at the stadium, shining among the four walls of glorified cricketing history that have portraits of legends like Abbas Ali Baig, M.L. Jaisimha, Mohammad Azharuddin, V.V.S. Laxman, Venkatapathi Raju, and Pragyan Ojha, to name a few.
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Pakistan, Australia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, and Sri Lanka will be accorded top security when the teams are in the city for the marquee event, with the first warm-up match kicking off on September 29.
The stadium has received a facelift, with new seats being installed and the canopy work that was under construction nearing completion.
“Preparation-wise we have ticked almost all boxes, and we have the schedule of the teams’ practice sessions. From the accommodation of teams to routes and the teams’ vehicular movement, everything has been planned,” Kante said.
The Pakistan versus New Zealand World Cup 2023 warm-up game on September 29 will be played behind closed doors due to security reasons, but the CEO said that there will be no change in the other matches and that the association is in constant touch with the police and security agencies.
“All matches that are scheduled to be held in Hyderabad will happen, and we are in constant touch with the BCCI. The police commissioner has assured full cooperation, and we are all working towards hosting a successful World Cup,” he said.
The road leading to the stadium is buzzing in activity. From kids thronging the stadium to locals enquiring about match tickets.
The labourers, who scaled the dangerous heights to piece together metal equipment after lunch and at night, have laid a marker of human perseverance, trying to set the stage and racing against time. It’s time for HCA to deliver the goods as the World Cup festivity kicks off in Hyderabad.
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