Vizag to host Test Match from October 2 to 6

Visakhapatnam: Cricket lovers from Vizag and other parts of the state will get to see their favourite cricketers from India and South Africa; as Vizag city gears up to host the Test match between India and South Africa. The match will be played at the Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA stadium from October 2 to 6.

Vizag will be hosting the first of the India- South Africa Test series. This will be the second Test match to be played in the Vizag stadium. The first Test match was played in 2016 between India and England and India had won the match.

Vizag stadium is among the six stadiums in the country to have got Test status recognition in November 2015. Not only is the stadium a picturesque one as it is located between two hillocks, but it is also the longest named cricket stadium in the world.

City police chief R.K. Meena said that to ensure smooth conduct of the game, a coordination committee has been formed by the Andhra Cricket Academy (ACA) with the district collector, GVMC commissioner and few others as its members. We will impose certain traffic restrictions during the match and tighten security measures in and around the stadium, he added.

ACA officials said that the sale of tickers for the match have commenced. Prices of daily tickets range from Rs 100 to Rs 500, while seasonal tickets have been priced at Rs 400 to Rs 1,500. Tickets will be sold online and at the counters. The ACA authorities are making arrangements to give free entry to some students on a daily basis.

L. Ravi Teja, a cricket buff from Vizag city said, “Team India is expected to take the lead in the Series against South Africa as it won most of the matches be it the T-20 or the ODI.”

The pitch and the outfield of the stadium are in good shape. We have some more time to fine-tune the venue. The wicket will favour batsmen in the first three days and later the spinners may dominate in the last two days, said ACA authorities.