By Tapan Mohanta
Heavy thundershowers delayed the start of the first Twenty20 International between India and New Zealand.
Published: Sep 08, 2012, 06:39 PM (IST)
Edited: Sep 08, 2012, 06:39 PM (IST)
Ground staff at the stadium cover the field amidst heavy shower © AFP
By Tapan Mohanta
Visakhapatnam: Sep 8, 2012
Heavy thundershowers delayed the start of the first Twenty20 International between India and New Zealand.
The match that has gained marquee status because of Yuvraj Singh’s much hyped comeback into international cricket got disrupted after heavens opened up around 6 pm. A sharp thundershowers for around 30 minutes forced the groundsmen to put on covers.
The scheduled cut-off time is 10.15 pm wherein a five-overs-a-side match can be squeezed in. Each innings will be of 20-minute duration with a 10-minute break in-between.
According to ACA director of cricket operations M S K Prasad the groundsmen would need at least an hour to mop up the field and make it ready for a possible match in case the rain stops.
Crowd thronged in large numbers and filled up the stands of the 27,000-capacity stadium since afternoon with big hoardings of ‘Yuvi is Back’.
But the ‘Weather God’ it seemed has different ideas as everybody kept seated with their fingers crossed.
It’s been raining for last few days and there was a downpour and thunderstorm last evening in the coastal port city of Andhra Pradesh. (PTI)
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