Himachal cricket body seeks nod to hold T20 matches with 50% spectators

Tribune News Service

Dharamsala, February 18

The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) has written to the state government and the BCCI to allow it hold forthcoming T-20 international cricket matches between India and Sri Lanka on February 26 and 27 here with 50 per cent seating capacity. Earlier due to Covid pandemic it was decided to hold the matches without audience.

President of HPCA Arun Kumar Dhumal, when contacted, said, “Since the number of corona infection cases in Himachal and the country have come down significantly, we have requested the state government and the BCCI to allow us to hold matches with 50 per cent audience capacity. In case the government allows us it would provide boost to the tourism industry in Dharamsala and the entire Kangra region”, he said.

Dharamsala international cricket stadium has a seating capacity of about 25,000 spectators. Most of the international cricket matches held at Dharamsala had the stadium packed to the capacity. People from adjoining states of Punjab, Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir throng Dharamsala during the matches.

The T-20 matches between India and Sri Lanka are scheduled to be held on the next weekend. In case the government gives the approval it could mean that about 12,000 spectators would be allowed inside the stadium. Such number of spectators coming to the area could mean that all the hotels in Dharamsala region would be packed to their capacity.

The hotelier associations of Dharamsala have also urged the state government to allow matches with 50 per cent spectator capacity. President of the Upper Dharamsala hotel and restaurant association Ashwani Bamba said that tourist footfall in the region had fallen drastically since the outbreak of corona pandemic. The hotel and tourism industry was reeling under losses for the last two years. In such a scenario if the audience is allowed in T-20 cricket matches it can bring good business for the tourism industry, he said.

However, with just a week to go for matches, the HPCA and district administration would have to make elaborate arrangements in case the spectators were allowed inside the stadium.

Kangra DC Nipun Jindal said a meeting had been scheduled tomorrow to work out modalities for organising the match with 50 per cent audience capacity. —

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