GUWAHATI: A three-tier security blanket has been put in place for the first one day international cricket match between India and West Indies scheduled to be held at the Assam Cricket Association stadium at Barsapara here on Sunday with Assam police leaving no stone unturned to ensure things pass off smoothly.
“We are all proud to have this ODI in Guwahati. We have reviewed the security arrangements yet again to see that there are no loopholes and all planning and rehearsals have been done. As it is, we have put in place a three-tier security blanket – on the field, outside the field and around the stadium,” Assam director general of police, Kuladhar Saikia told reporters here on the match-eve on Saturday.
One additional director general of police would be overseeing the entire arrangements for the cricket match.
Saikia said that besides taking certain new measures, we have also arranged for route lining so that the security for the sportspersons is in place. “We have roped in additional police, both from our battalions and districts for the match who will be positioned strategically on the small road outside the stadium so that the sportspersons have easy entry and exit,” he said.
It may be mentioned that an “object” was suspected to be thrown at the bus carrying the victorious Australian cricket team to the hotel after the T-20 match here last year, which had tarnished the image of the city to an extent and left many sports fans in the city and region embarrassed.
Seven members of the West Indies team had arrived here as early as October 15 and two days later members and officials of both the teams flew in from Hyderabad, where the second and final Test match between the two nations was played.
This is by far the longest period that members of international cricket teams have spent in the city in the run up to an ODI/T20, thereby putting greater responsibility on the district and police administration.
“We seek the support and cooperation of the people so that nothing untoward takes place on the match day,” Saikia appealed.
Meanwhile, ACA officials here clarified that about 4,000 to 5000 tickets (of various categories) were returned by the affiliated districts to which the cricket association had distributed 10,500 tickets for their members and sale.
“There have been no violations of Supreme Court’s directive on the part of the ACA as has been alleged in a section of the media. All the 10,500 tickets were distributed among our affiliated units and sports boards. The money received from the sale of tickets have been collected by the districts and thereafter deposited with the online portal (Book My Show),” said an official.
“The tickets that were returned were made available for public sale yet again through Book My Show this afternoon,” he added.
The apex court had made it mandatory upon cricket associations to sell 90 per cent of the tickets to the general public and reserve the 10 per cent for associations under BCCI, agencies, sponsors among others. The number of complimentary passes too has been cut down drastically with associations being allotted much less than what they had been getting on previous occasions.
Meanwhile, many cricket lovers who could not book their tickets on October 11, when 18000 odd tickets were up for online sale, had a chance to get their tickets as seats in almost all categories) were still vacant till Saturday evening after the sale reopened in the afternoon.