Visakhapatnam: Uncertainty prevails over the One-Day International cricket match between India and New Zealand to be played under floodlights at the Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy ACA-VDCA stadium in Vizag city on Saturday, as Cyclone Kyant is heading towards AP and might trigger rain in coastal districts of the state on Friday and Saturday.
Met officials said Cyclone Kyant lay 550 km east-southeast of Vizag; it would take another 24 hours to assess its landfall. Cyclone Kyant may trigger rain along with high velocity gusts in Vizag its surroundings on Friday and Saturday.
“As per the status of Cyclone Kyant and predictions of the IMD, we are hopeful that the skies would not open up on Saturday and the match will go on smoothly,” said cricket buff B. Sunil Kumar, a resident of Madhurawada in the city.
“There won’t be any problem. Our groundmen can clear the rain water from the stadium in just two to three hours with super soppers and the advanced drainage system,” said Andhra Cricket Association general secretary and BCCI vice-president Gokaraju Gangaraju.
An association member said that heavy rain had lashed the city due to Cyclone Helen but the ODI between India and West Indies was successfully conducted on November 24, 2013. It had stopped raining just a few hours before the match, he said.
“So far, a T-20 match between India and New Zealand in the stadium, scheduled for September 8, 2012, was called off without a ball being bowled following heavy rain and the ODI between India and West Indies scheduled to be played in Vizag stadium on October 14, 2014, was cancelled as Cyclone Hudhud hit Vizag city on October 12 and damaged the stadium too.” he said.
