BHUBANESWAR: As Barabati Stadium in Cuttack prepares to host an international cricket match after a gap of two years, Commissionerate Police reviewed the arrangements along with officials of Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) at a preparatory meeting here on Saturday.
The one-day match between India and West Indies will be held on December 22 and players will reach Bhubaneswar on December 19.
Twin City Commissioner of Police Sudhanshu Sarangi said Bhubaneswar DCP will be in-charge of players’ security at their place of stay in the city and during their transit from the hotels to stadium and return, while Cuttack DCP will be in-charge of the security at the venue. With about 40,000 spectators expected at the stadium, Traffic DCP has been given the charge of traffic management.
Informing about the precautionary measures being taken to ensure smooth conduct of the match, Sarangi said spectators will not be allowed to carry water bottles and food items into the stadium.
Ban on carrying water bottles and food items to the stadium was imposed after the October 5, 2015 incident when some spectators threw bottles to the ground during the T20 match between India and South Africa.
“A preliminary discussion was held between Commissionerate Police officers and us for the third ODI between India and West Indies to be held at Barabati Stadium. Players of both the teams will stay at the same hotel in Bhubaneswar,” OCA secretary Sanjay Behera said.The last international match at the stadium was a T20 between India and Sri Lanka on December 20, 2017. India had won the match by 93 runs.
Ticket sale
Online sale of tickets will start from December 5 and at counters from December 19. Police have requested OCA to open more ticket counters for the convenience of cricket enthusiasts. To avoid counterfeiting of tickets, police have also issued certain directions to the OCA.