Lucknow to host India-South Africa women’s ODIs and T20Is in March

Series comprising five one-dayers and three T20s will be India’s first since T20 World Cup last March

The last time Lucknow hosted an international women’s cricket match was in December 2005 when India played England in a One-day International (ODI).

Lucknow's Ekana stadium (HT)

Over 15 years later, the women’s series between India and South Africa, starting on March 7 at the Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium here, is expected to bring smiles back on the faces of fans as they would get to see five ODIs and three Twenty20Is in 18 days.

As per the announcement of the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) on Tuesday, the remaining ODIs will be on March 9, 12, 14 and 17. The Twenty20Is are scheduled on March 20, 21 and 24. The first two T20Is would be under lights.

The series will also mark the return of India to competitive cricket after almost 12 months as they last played the Women’s Twenty20 World Cup final at Melbourne on March 8, 2020. Their only outing since was during the exhibition Women’s T20 Challenge in Sharjah last November.

Since the series will have to be played in a bio-bubble, the teams have been asked to assemble on February 25 and will be quarantined for six days before playing the only warm-up game on March 4.

This will be the second successive series with all eight matches on one ground. Previously, Afghanistan had hosted West Indies in a full series here, which included three ODIs, three T20Is and a one-off Test in December 2019.

“Our stadium is blessed to have nine pitches, including five of red clay, so there would be no problem in holding the entire series at this venue. Success of the Afghanistan-West Indies full series is a true example of this,” Ekana Sportz City managing director Uday Sinha said on Tuesday.

“It’s a big opportunity for us to let the world know how this stadium is suitable for big matches, including those of the Indian Premier League and the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup in India.”

In January 2002, Lucknow had a tryst with sporting history as England openers Caroline Atkins (Sussex) and Arran Thompson (Lancashire) set a world record partnership of 200 runs in a women’s Test. The previous record of 178 was set by Australia openers Belinda Haggett and Belinda Clark, also against India, in Sydney in 1990. While opening for just the seventh time together, and in only their third Test match, 21-year-old Atkins was run out for 90, and 19-year old Thompson made 85 before being bowled. The partnership lasted 450 minutes and 123.2 overs.

It was also the Test where current India ODI captain Mithali Raj debuted, beginning with a duck. UP’s Hemlata Kala was the star performer in the drawn match with a sparkling century in the first innings at KD Singh ‘Babu’ Stadium.

SERIES ITINERARY

Feb 25: Teams’ arrival; Feb 27: First Covid test; March 1: Second Covid test; March 3: Training session; March 4: One-day warm-up game; March 5: Training session/third Covid test; March 6: Training session; March 7: First ODI; March 9: Second ODI; March 12: Third ODI; March 14: Fourth ODI; March 17: Fifth ODI; March 20: First T20I; March 21: Second T20I; March 24: Third T20I (day game); March 25: Teams depart.