The Gandhi stadium at Balangir. Telegraph picture

Balangir, Nov. 5: Here’s some good news for cricket lovers from west Odisha. Balangir is all set to host its maiden Ranji Trophy match in January.

District Athletics Association (DAA) of Balangir has confirmed that the town’s Gandhi stadium will host the sixth match out of the eight that Odisha will play in the 2014-15 season.

A senior DDA official said Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) had intimated the schedule of the match. The tie between Odisha and Rajasthan will be played from 21 to 24 January next year. Balangir will also become the second town in west Odisha after Sambalpur, to host a Ranji match.

Till recently there was a lot of uncertainty over the match since Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) was not sure whether they would be able to take part in the tournament due to Lalit Modi, who is at loggerheads with the BCCI.

However, court verdict cleared the RCA that enabled Rajasthan to participate in the Ranji Trophy.

Elated cricket lovers have welcomed the decision of the OCA to give Balangir a chance to host the match.

“This has been a long standing demand of the people of Balangir and we are thankful to the OCA for deciding to let Balangir host the Ranji Trophy match,” said Subrat Mishra, a cricket fan.

Beaming with confidence, general secretary of DAA, Balangir, Harinarayan Pujahari told The Telegraph that it had been a long wait.

“We have waited for about 40 years for this day. We are very excited after they get to know about it. This is a very positive gesture from the OCA to have faith in us and ask us to organise a match of such an important tournament. I must thank the OCA,” Pujahari said.

“We have proved our competency in women’s cricket by being the only town in Odisha to have produced two international cricketers,” he said. Secretary of OCA Ashirbad Behera was all praise for the infrastructure at the ground.

“The ground is adequately equipped to hold the forthcoming Ranji Trophy match. The ground condition is also very good. The OCA has already intimated about the new venue to the BCCI,” he said.

Behera had earlier visited the ground on the eve of a C.K. Nayudu Trophy match earlier this year and had examined the dressing room, pitch and the outfield of the ground and had indicated that OCA was contemplating to organise Ranji Trophy matches here.

Madhuri Mehta and Roshanara Parween have made Balangir proud by representing the Indian women’s cricket team at the international level.