DHARAMSHALA: Preparations for the third India- Sri Lanka T20 to be held at the Dharamshala International cricket stadium on March 15 are on in full swing.
The ground including the pitch and the outfield are being prepared at least a month prior to the match, that is, by February 15 so that any further suggestions on the condition of the ground can be completed during this time.
Pitch curator Sunil Chauhan has issued special suggestions to his ground staff to prepare the pitch and the outfield, which can be made green using fertilizers etc.
The pavilion side of the field has been completely closed to block entry to the field from that area. BCCI treasurer and HPCA director Arun Dhumal has instructed the pitch curator to prepare the field in accordance with standards required for an international match.
Apart from field preparation, he also instructed HPCA officials to prepare a list of other works to be done. HPCA secretary Sumit Sharma informed that preparations for the match began after the successful conduct of the inter-district matches. He added that one of the nine pitches on the ground will be used for the match.
The series will start off with two Tests on February 25 and March 5, followed by the T20 series on March 13, 15 and 18. The two teams will face each other in a T20 match after a gap. They last faced each other in July 2021. The Sri Lankan team touring India will consist of white and red ball specialists.
The test series will be played at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore and Punjab Cricket Association IS Bindra Stadium in Mohali. The T20 matches will be played at the same stadium in Mohali, Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala and Ekana Cricket stadium in Lucknow.