post news network
Cuttack, March 21: Preparations are on full swing at the Barabati Stadium here for the upcoming Syed Mushtaq Ali East Zone T-20 cricket tournament, March 25-29 in which five teams will play altogether 10 matches.
The teams are hosts Orissa, Bengal, Tripura, Jharkhand and Assam. Every day two matches will be played. The first match will be played 9am-12 am and the second 2pm-5pm. Chief curator of the stadium, Pankaj Patnaik has prepared four pitches at the venue. “We have prepared sporting wickets. But it may favour the batsmen a bit more,” stated Pankaj here Saturday.
The 15-member Orissa team for the tournament will be announced Sunday. “At present 24 probables are playing trial matches with the last match coming off at the SCB Medical College Ground, Sunday,” informed an OCA official. “Senior players Natraj Behera and Basant Mohanty have niggles, so it is a possibility that they may not find a place in the squad which in all probability will be led by Abhilash Mallick,” added the official.
