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Cricket fans all revved up for Virat’s 100th Test in Mohali
Having a capacity of 26,000, the PCA stadium in Mohali is expected to have around 12,000 fans witnessing Kohli’s go at his 100th Test
For 15-year-old cricket fan Saurabh Sharma, it has been a long wait. After a gap of two years, international cricket is returning to the IS Bindra Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) Stadium in Mohali as India on Friday take on Sri Lanka in the first of the two Test matches, which also happens to be cricketer Virat Kohli’s 100th Test.
Having a capacity of 26,000, the PCA stadium is expected to have around 12,000 fans witnessing Kohli’s go at his 100th Test.
Initially, the stadium was to host the Test behind closed doors, but then the BCCI intervened and it was decided two days ago 50% spectators will be allowed at the game.
“I can’t thank the BCCI enough for directing the state association to allow the spectators for Kohli’s special game. I am a huge Kohli fan and I was disappointed to know initially that the stadium won’t have a crowd cheering for him and the Indian team,” said Saurabh, a Class 10 student.
Tickets of various blocks, including Chair Block 1-2 and West Block ( ₹300), VIP Block 1-2 ( ₹500), North Pavilion ( ₹1,000) and South Pavilion ( ₹2,000) were made available to the public on Wednesday.
No cricket action amid pandemic
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related restrictions, there was no cricket action in Mohali since the outbreak in March 2020.
One edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) also took place entirely in the UAE and the other partly in India and the remaining in the UAE.
Cities like Mumbai, Kolkata, Ahmedabad and Pune did host international matches in 2021, but Mohali was not on the list.
So, the Test match between India and Sri Lanka will finally provide a chance to the local fans to witness international cricket. IS Bindra PCA stadium has so far hosted 13 Tests, 25 ODIs and five T20Is.
The last Test match here, between India and England, was played in November 2016. India and Australia’s clash in March 2019 was the last ODI, while the T20 match between India and Sri Lanka in September 2019 was the only cricket match here before the Friday Test.
“It is so heartening to see cricket coming back to Mohali. The pandemic has been very depressing. We have been restricted to our houses with no sporting activity happening around. Two IPLs also happened in UAE. It would be lovely to see Rohit Sharma lead the Test team after clinching the T20I series against Sri Lanka,” said Kamal Kapoor, a student, who was at the stadium to collect her ticket.
Meanwhile, PCA will honour Kohli for becoming the 12th Indian cricketer to play 100 Tests. “The PCA has already put up billboards across Mohali and in the stadium to welcome him. We will be felicitating him with a silver plaque,” said Rajinder Gupta, president, PCA.
Considered one of the greatest batter of all times, Kohli, 33, has scored 7,962 runs, including 27 hundreds and 28 fifties in 99 Tests at an average of 50.39. He is also a prolific white-ball batter, having scored 12,311 runs with 43 centuries in 260 ODIs and 3,296 runs in 97 T20s.
