KOCHI: To bring the excitement of the Indian Premier League (IPL) to cricket enthusiasts in Kochi, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is organising fan parks on the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium premises in Kaloor for three matches this IPL season.
The fan park, to be set up at the East Side Parking of the stadium, will feature live screening of an IPL match, with music, merchandise, food stalls, and fun games in place. The IPL fan park in Kaloor will screen the opening match between Kolkota Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at 6.30pm on Saturday. Two matches will be screened on Sunday, between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals at 2.30pm and Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians later in the evening.
Fan parks are being organised in 50 cities, spread across 23 states, that do not host IPL matches to bring the real-time stadium experience to the fans. This year’s IPL fan parks will span 10 weekends, starting on March 22 and concluding on May 25. Five cities including Kochi will host the first fan parks of the season.
The Fort Maidan in Palakkad will also host a fan park the following weekend. The park will include reserved zones for senior citizens and pregnant women. Facilities like water stations and mobile toilets will also be present. Entry to the fan park is free.
“With fan parks, we try to replicate everything happening in the stadium. It includes virtual cricket matches, 360-degree photo booths, and fun activities like games and face painting,” said Sumith M, a BCCI representative.