Sri Lankan team storms India ahead of T20I series

Ahead of the three-match T20 series against India the Sri Lankan cricket team has arrived amid tight security.

There was a need for tight security because the city had witnessed widespread protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on the same day.

The Sri Lankan team led by veteran pacer Lasith Malinga, arrived Guwahati on Thursday and headed straight to the team hotel.

Ahead of the opener slated for Sunday, members of the Indian team will be arriving in batches today.

Speaking with The Times of India ahead of the game, an official of the Assam Cricket Association (ACA), Devajit Saikia said both teams would have optional training sessions, with the visitors starting before India takes over the training pitch in the evening.

It could be recalled that there were protests in Asam in December, which affected Ranji and U-19 matches at the domestic level due to restriction by curfew.

Saikia, who is the ACA secretary has however declared that the current situation is normal and tourism is back in the state.

Speaking further, Saikia said the city would be hosting Khelo India Games from January 10 that will witness participation from about seven thousand players.

The ACA expressed delight that the place is now safe as any other place in the country, adding that the state government is looking after the security arrangement which is expected not to be an issue.

Ahead of the game that India will be facing the Sri Lanka T20I squad led by Lasith Malinga, which left the island on Thursday morning for Guwahati to take part in the clash, about 27,000 tickets of the 39,500-capacity Barasapra Stadium has already been sold.

On the remaining tickets, Saikia who noted that people were busy with the Christmas and New Year celebrations said a last-minute ticket rush is expected before the game.

According to reports, the second T20 is scheduled for in Indore on January 7 while the final match will be played at Pune on January 10.

The clash is part of the preparation for both teams ahead of the Twenty20 World Cup which comes up later in the year.

Written by: Oladipupo Mojeed