CM Sonowal inspects Barsapara Cricket Stadium

GUWAHATI, Sept 2: Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal inspected the Barsapara Cricket Stadium this afternoon to see the preparation of the forthcoming T20 Intertiol. India will face Australia in this game which is scheduled to be held on October10.

Assam Cricket Association, the owner of the stadium, already started preparation of the game which will also be the first intertiol match at the Barsapara Stadium. They also invited Chief Minister to visit the ground before the match. 

Sonowal along with Minister of state for Sports and Youth welfare ba Kumar Doley took stock of the ground condition, pitch, pavilion, gallery, dressing room, commentary box and media stand. Several ACA officials including Pradip Buragohain, the secretary, Debojit Saikia, the Vice President, along with many former cricketers accompanied the Chief Minister during his visit at the stadium.

CM today expressed satisfaction over the quality of works put in place for the stadium to host the intertiol match for the first time. He also talked separately to curator Mukut Kalita to know the preparation of the pitch and ground. Kalita also informed him about the superb draige facilities about the ground where match can be organized within a short period even after heavy shower.  

Chief Minister later enquired about the seating capacity and the facilities for the spectators who will present at the time of match. ACA officials informed Sonowal that 37,800 tickets will be up for sale as they will be sold on-line.

 As cricket loving spectators from this part of the region have been eagerly waiting for a T-20 match for quite some time, Sonowal advised ACA officials to leave no stone unturned for holding the match and set a precedent. Talking to the media person at the side line of his visit Sonowal said, “ACA has done good job. Government will extend all kind of support to the association to make the event successful.” 

He also said that there will be fool-proof security and no laxity will be allowed from any quarter to creep in even though U-17 World Cup will be going on in the city at the same time. Citing the example of South Asian Games, Sonowal said, “Assam has already earned the distinction of being a successful host when it comes to organise any intertiol event and T-20 match between India and Australia will prove it once again”.

Sonowal also asked the ACA officials to make an arrangement to play Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s popular song ‘ei prithivi ek krirangan’ before the start of the match to set the mood of the electrifying crowd.

Although Barsapara Cricket Stadium already hosted many first class game but the stadium is yet to be iugurated officially. It has been learnt that ACA may invite Sonowal to iugurate the stadium before the T20I.

Meanwhile a good batsman in his days, Sonowal always had a weakness on cricket bat and he never hesitates to take a bat in his hand when it is around him. There was no exception today also. During his visit at the Barsapara Cricket stadium, Sonowal today invited three former cricketers Gautam Dutta, Parag Das and Pabitra Dutta; all were present during his visit, to join him in the ground where he faced nearly 10 balls from Parag. Some of his shots were really magnificent.