Cuttack, July 27: Barabati Stadium will host its first international T20 match between India and South Africa on October 5, Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) said today.
"We have got the official confirmation today regarding the allotment of the international T20 match and we have already started preparing for it," said OCA secretary Ashirbad Behera.
Earlier, the venue was not included in the list of stadiums announced for India's two-month home tour against the Proteas.
This is a kind of out-of-turn allotment since the city was not in the original list of venues for the series, said another OCA official.
The arrangement of accommodation for both the teams and the groundwork has already started. The OCA has decided to introduce numbers on the tickets to check unauthorised entry of fans during the match.
Besides, adequate steps would be taken to ensure security in and around the ground that can hold around 45,000 spectators.
The change comes after Gujarat Cricket Association's request to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to withdraw its name as the venue for the Test match that was allotted to Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera.
The Gujarat cricket body expressed inability to host the match due to ongoing renovation work. Consequently, the BCCI shifted the match to Mohali.
Sources said as Mohali had already been allotted the T20 match, it was shifted to Cuttack.
The other two T20 matches will be played in Calcutta and Dharmashala.
The OCA officials are excited about the hosting Cuttack's maiden international T20 match.
Incidentally, October has proved unlucky for the OCA more than once.
Last October, it had been allotted a T20 match between India and West Indies, but it was cancelled. The Caribbean team had pulled out of the series due to a standoff with their board over contract issues. A scheduled ODI between India and Australia was also washed out in October 2013.
"In spite of the odds, we hope that local fans will get a chance to witness the maiden international T20 match at Barabati Stadium," Behera said.
