Sri Lanka's Pallekele stadium made its World Cup debut on Tuesday, playing host to a match between Pakistan and New Zealand after heavy rains wreaked havoc on previous international fixtures.
Published: Mar 08, 2011, 08:48 PM (IST)
Edited: Mar 08, 2011, 08:48 PM (IST)
A view of the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on March 7. The Sri Lanka stadium made its World Cup debut, playing host to a match between Pakistan and New Zealand after heavy rains wreaked havoc on previous international fixtures.
Pallekele: Mar 8, 2011
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Sri Lanka’s Pallekele stadium made its World Cup debut on Tuesday, playing host to a match between Pakistan and New Zealand after heavy rains wreaked havoc on previous international fixtures.
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Incessant rain late last year forced officials to postpone a one-day series involving the West Indies and Sri Lanka, including a match at the stadium, with a capacity of around 30,000.Â
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It was rescheduled but the rains did not relent and Pallekele eventually lost out, with the matches played elsewhere in January and early February. Sri Lanka and the West Indies did manage to get a Test match under way at the stadium, near Kandy, in early December but rain prevented the completion of a single innings.
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Two World Cup warm-up matches were also moved away because of bad weather, as the blight continued. “Finally we have made it,” said student Karuna Devi. “Rains have played spoilsport and we were fearing it would come again, but it didn’t come about.”
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Kandy, situated amid hills on the Kandy plateau in central Sri Lanka, is famous for its rains. But basking in bright sunshine on Tuesday, fans from Pakistan, New Zealand, England, and even the United States came in numbers to watch the action.
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“I have come from Peshawar and am enjoying the atmosphere,” said lawyer Adnan Khan, hoping for a Pakistan win to take them to the quarter-finals. “I have a visa for India so that I can watch the quarters if Pakistan play there.”
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Martin Harris, wrapped in a New Zealand flag, was enjoying his day. “It’s double delight in one ticket,” said Harris. “It’s great to watch cricket in this beautiful stadium.”
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Ilyas Ahmed, who had come from London with his family, said watching the World Cup was his dream. “I had planned to go to the West Indies in 2007 but after Pakistan fell in the first round I didn’t go. Now my wish to watch a World Cup match has come true,” said Ahmed, decked out in the green and white of Pakistan.
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Organisers said they expect a packed stadium when Sri Lanka play Zimbabwe at Pallekele on Thursday.
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News © AFP
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Pictures © Getty Images
