Too hot to handle for fans

Usually, the practice arena here sees a few players loosening up just a couple of hours before a game while there are fans thronging the stadium gates. Both didn't happen on Tuesday. Khurram Habib reports.

Usually, the practice arena here sees a few players loosening up just a couple of hours before a game while there are fans thronging the stadium gates. Both didn't happen on Tuesday.

"The traffic is light today," said an official on duty, not surprised that people were not pouring in just before the start. "At 41 degrees at 4 pm, hardly anyone would want to get roasted out here."

Packing 70-odd games in less than two months has forced too many matches to be slotted at 4 pm. It can cause difficulties. In 2010 at the Ferozeshah Kotla in Delhi, some spectators almost fainted and in 2011 at Jaipur's Sawai Man Singh Stadium, a few suffered heatstroke.

Knowing that passion alone in India can guarantee BCCI plenty of fans, do they actually need to worry about creating comfort zones or start more games at 8 pm.