Actress Archita Sahoo has been selected as the IPL brand ambassador for matches in Odisha. Telegraph picture

Cuttack, April 15: Actress Archita Sahoo is the latest addition to the Indian Premier League (IPL) celebrities’ bandwagon and would be seen cheering for the Deccan Chargers team that is scheduled to play two matches at Barabati.

Archita was today roped in as the brand ambassador for IPL matches to be played in Cuttack on April 22 and May 1.

“I have been a cricket follower since childhood. After getting associated with Odisha Premier League as a brand ambassador, it was a different feeling to see the matches from a ringside seat,” said Archita.

“IPL is an even bigger event and is followed worldwide. So, I am obviously excited to become the brand ambassador for Deccan Chargers. I’m waiting to meet Kumara Sangakkara and it would be nice to see Odia boy Biplab Samantaray too,” said the young actress, who also has plans to cheer for Deccan Chargers in Hyderabad and Vizag.

“I am sure Cuttack will give the best support for the team,” she said.

Odia actor Sabyasachi is the brand ambassador for all the matches of Deccan Chargers. The team’s chief operations officer E. Venkatram Reddy said the team was looking forward to its matches in Cuttack.

“Barabati Stadium has always been a lucky venue for Deccan Chargers and that’s why we have decided to play two matches here,” Reddy said.

It was announced today that the counter sale of tickets for the IPL matches would start from Monday. Of the 43,190 seats at Barabati, 34,932 will be up for sale. Tickets will be sold at 14 different counters in Cuttack and Bhubaneswar, including two at Barabati Stadium.

An official of the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) said tickets for the first match between Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders on April 22 would be sold from tomorrow, while tickets for the second match between Deccan Chargers and Pune Warriors would be available from April 24.

Of the total tickets reserved for public sale, about 20 per cent tickets will be sold online.

“The response for the two matches at Barabati has been great and 2,500 tickets have already been sold online. There is a target to sell another 6,000 tickets online,” said Santosh Kumar, manager of www.ticketgenie.in.

OCA officials said adequate measures had been taken for security inside Barabati Stadium and closed-circuit television cameras would be installed at different gates and galleries.

Besides, the OCA has insured an amount of Rs 20 crore (Rs 5 crore for public liability, Rs 5 crore for fire and special perils and Rs 10 crore for special contingency) for both the matches at Barabati.

“We have made elaborate security arrangements in association with the police,” said OCA secretary Ashirbad Behera.