*Manipal Tigers led by Harbhajan to take on Southern Super Stars today
Excelsior Sports Correspondent
JAMMU, Nov 26: For the first time in more than three decades, Jammu’s Maulana Azad Stadium will be bathed in floodlights, playing host to former cricketing greats from across the world – a prospect that has already set fans’ hearts aflutter with anticipation.
Built in 1966, Maulana Azad stadium serves as one of the home grounds of the Jammu and Kashmir cricket team.
The last international match at the venue was held between India vs New Zealand on December 19, 1988, before militancy sent the ground off charts for international gigs. The city of temples will host four matches of the ongoing second season.
The Jammu-leg of the day-night series will begin tomorrow at 7 pm with Manipal Tigers-led by Harbajan Singh taking on Southern Super Stars, captained by Australian cricketer Aaron Finch.
The match will be followed by an encounter between Irfan Pathan-led Bhilwara Kings and Southern Super Stars on Wednesday.
The match 11 of the Legend League Cricket season 2 will see India Capitals under the leadership of Gautam Gambhir taking on Parthiv Patel-led Gujarat Giants on Thursday at 7 pm. The fourth and the last match in Jammu will be played between Bhilwara Kings and Suresh Raina’s Urbanrisers Hyderabad on Friday, starting at 3 pm.
More than 100 former cricketers, including Mohammad Kaif, Yusuf Pathan, S Sreesanth, Robin Uthappa – from India, Shane Watson (Australia), Tilakarante Dilshan (Sri Lanka), Chris Gayle, Ricardo Powell, Dwanye Smith and Tino Best (West Indies), Kevin O’Brien (Ireland), Hashim Amla and Morne Morkel (South Africa), Kevin Petersen (England), Abdur Razzak (Bangladesh), Ross Taylor and Martin Guptil (New Zealand), and Asghar Afghan (Afghanistan) and more will be coming to Jammu to play in these matches.
“After Ranchi and Dehradun, our next destination is Jammu and Kashmir where international cricket is returning after a gap of 30 years. This is for the first time that 120 players of world fame are coming together (in Jammu) for competitive cricket,” Legends League Cricket Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Raman Raheja said.
He said there has been a tremendous response from the fans with 50 per cent of tickets at the 20,000 capacity stadium already sold.
“Our teams, including former BCCI curators, are on the ground for the last one month preparing for the matches which are happening for the first time in Jammu. The competitive cricket which we have seen so far will be taken forward in the same way,” he said.
Raheja thanked the Jammu and Kashmir administration for its support and said Lt Governor Manoj Sinha is expected to come to watch one of the matches.
Inspector General of Police, Jammu zone, Anand Jain recently chaired a meeting to review deployment, law and order, and security situation to ensure a hassle-free conduct of the matches.
During the meeting, the IGP Jammu emphasized on foolproof arrangements in terms of security, traffic management, transportation and accommodation for the players, a police spokesman said.
Cricket fans from the city are all agog with excitement, having never gotten a chance to see their stars in flesh and blood, even if from afar.
“We are thankful to the organizers for selecting Jammu as one of the venues for the tournament. We are excited as it is a big opportunity for us to watch the stars in action,” Manav Sharma said outside the stadium after buying a ticket from an offline counter. Rakesh Kaul, another cricket enthusiast, said the matches will boost the morale of the youngsters.
“This level of cricket matches is happening in Jammu after a long gap and we are thankful to the legend league for bringing the cricket and the legends to this part of the country,” he said.
Pertinently, huge crowd is expected as it is reliably learnt that the tickets for the 20,000 capacity Maulana Azad Stadium are sold out
“Only vehicles ferrying cricketers, officials besides security forces will be allowed to enter the venue whereas parking points for other vehicles are already identified for which advisories are issued by the Traffic department,” said a police official. Moreover, they said that water bottles, food items or any inflammable substance are not allowed inside the venue as the organizers have to set up food stalls for the spectators. The final leg of Legends League Cricket Season 2 will be played at Surat’s Lalbhai Contractor Stadium between December 5 and 9.
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