New Delhi: Visakhapatnam has replaced New Delhi as the venue for the first men’s ODI between India and Sri Lanka, to be played December 13, said the BCCI Thursday. The series opener will now be played at the ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, with the date and start time unchanged.
“The venue change has been made following a request from the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), in view of the potential weather disruption and the proposed renovation work at the stadium,” further said BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia in his statement.
IANS had previously reported September 25 that the game could be moved out of India’s national capital because of a planned major overhaul of the drainage system at the Arun Jaitley Stadium. As part of the work, the stadium’s soil-based outfield will be converted into a sand-based one, apart from the pitches being relaid and recultivation of grass in the outfield.
The ongoing renovation work previously led to Delhi shifting its Ranji Trophy matches to the Air Force Ground in Palam, while its hosting of the league stage matches of the ongoing Senior Women’s T20 Trophy was handed over to Surat.
IANS also understands that the post-Diwali air pollution in New Delhi was also another cause of concern, especially with the Air Quality Index (AQI) going upwards of 350 in December, thus posing huge risk to well-being of the players.
During he drawn India-Sri Lanka Test held in New Delhi in December 2017, play was repeatedly disrupted as several Sri Lankan players were seen vomiting on the field due to poor air quality.
After the ODI series opener in Visakhapatnam, further matches will be played in Bengaluru December 16 and Ahmedabad December 19. It is followed by three T20Is taking place in Rajkot December 22, Cuttack December 24 and Pune December 27. All three ODIs will begin at 2 pm, while the T20Is are scheduled to start at 7 pm.
