Odisha’s Barabati stadium likely to host Test matches

Odisha Sun Times Bureau
Cuttack, May 23:

In a cheery news for cricket fans across the state, the Barabati stadium here might regain its Test status to host the longest format of cricket, Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) secretary Asirbad Behera informed this today while speaking to media persons.

“The Barabati stadium is likely to get Test status within 2-3 months,” Behera said.

Commenting on the bottle-pelting incident during the T20 International match between India and South Africa last year, Behera said: ” The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) has expressed satisfaction over OCA’s report on the incident. Besides, the BCCI has advised the OCA regarding some measures to be taken in future to avoid such untoward situation.”

“In future matches, bottles will not be allowed inside galleries. The height of nets infront of the galleries would be raised. This apart, all seats, including those in galleries, would be numbered,” the OCA secretary said admitting that the incident led to the delay in Barabati stadium getting the Test status.

It may be recalled that angry fans had hurled water bottles towards players on the ground after the Indian team was bowled out for 92 in the T20 match on October 5, 2015. The incident had forced match officials to discontinue the match for about 27 minutes. Though the match was resumed, it had to be stopped again after two more overs for another 24 minutes. It resumed again after security forces cleared a section of the crowd that was causing the disruption and pelting water bottles.

The incident had drawn widespreaded criticism from various quarters against the OCA.