With Team India eager to secure a first home T20I series win over South Africa in the second T20I, rain is likely to interrupt the match in Guwahati's Baraspara Stadium on Sunday. The last international cricket match at this venue had to be abandoned after heavy rain, and the overcast conditions in the leadup to the second T20I has fans and organisers worried.
Enthusiasm has been high among people in the run-up to the match, with all tickets being sold out for the first international cricket game since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The last international fixture at Barsapara Stadium here was an India-Sri Lanka T20 match on January 5, 2020, which was called off due to persistent rain. The Men in Blue come into this fixture on the back of a commanding 8-wicket win over Temba Bavuma's side.
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Arshdeep Singh and Deepak Chahar's sensational bowling spells blew the Proteas batsmen away, with KL Rahul and Suryakumar Yadav's persistent fifties helping India secure a 1-0 lead in the series. Skipper Rohit Sharma is in line to become the first Indian skipper to beat South Africa in a T20I series at home, but rain could play spoilsport in the contest.
The regional meteorological centre has forecast a partly cloudy sky with one or two spells of rain or thundershower for Guwahati on Sunday.
The organisers, meanwhile, said they have put in place all arrangements to minimise time loss in the event of rain.
The Assam Cricket Association (ACA) has imported two 'extremely lightweight' pitch covers from the US. It already has around 20 covers at its disposal.
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"These imported covers ensure that water or moisture does not seep into the pitch," ACA secretary Devajit Saikia had said.
At a pre-match media interaction, India head coach Rahul Dravid said it's great to see fans back in the stadium.
"Since June, when things opened up, every time we play in India, every stadium has been packed. That's a great thing. I am sure the boys really appreciate the fans cheering for them, hopefully supporting good cricket. I think it's a wicket that would support good cricket," Dravid said.
With input from PTI
