KOCHI: Temba Bavuma-led South Africa will be the first to arrive in Thiruvananthapuram for the World Cup warm-up matches which will be played at the Greenfield stadium from September 29-October 3. The Proteas will be landing in the state capital late on Sunday night. South Africa will be followed by Afghanistan, who will reach the city the following day.
The two teams will be squaring off against each other in the first warm-up game on September 29 (Friday). Australia will be coming to Thiruvananthapuram only after the completion of the ODI series against India that ends on September 27. They will face qualifier Netherlands in the second warm-up game at the same venue on September 30.
This game will be followed by the South Africa vs New Zealand match on October 2 and the final World Cup warm-up fixture will see India taking on Netherlands on October 3.
The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) officials are getting three practice facilities ready for the six teams playing in Thiruvananthapuram. Besides the net facility adjacent to the Greenfield stadium, the St Xavier’s College ground in Thumba and the KCA stadium in Mangalapuram will be the practice facilities that will be provided to the visiting teams.
“We have installed floodlights at the net facility near the Greenfield stadium. The dressing rooms at the stadium have been refurbished. We have also replaced some of the damaged seats in the stadium. This is the first time the state will be hosting six top cricket teams at a single venue. So we are leaving no stone unturned in our preparations and are hoping to give the visiting teams the best of facilities for the warm-up matches,” said KCA secretary Vinod S Kumar.
The matches in Thiruvananthapuram will be the last pit stop for the six teams before the start of the World Cup on October 5. The only dampener for the matches would be the weather. The city has been experiencing intermittent rains in the last few days and it could pose a threat to the last round of preparations for the visiting teams.
The two teams will be squaring off against each other in the first warm-up game on September 29 (Friday). Australia will be coming to Thiruvananthapuram only after the completion of the ODI series against India that ends on September 27. They will face qualifier Netherlands in the second warm-up game at the same venue on September 30.
This game will be followed by the South Africa vs New Zealand match on October 2 and the final World Cup warm-up fixture will see India taking on Netherlands on October 3.
The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) officials are getting three practice facilities ready for the six teams playing in Thiruvananthapuram. Besides the net facility adjacent to the Greenfield stadium, the St Xavier’s College ground in Thumba and the KCA stadium in Mangalapuram will be the practice facilities that will be provided to the visiting teams.
“We have installed floodlights at the net facility near the Greenfield stadium. The dressing rooms at the stadium have been refurbished. We have also replaced some of the damaged seats in the stadium. This is the first time the state will be hosting six top cricket teams at a single venue. So we are leaving no stone unturned in our preparations and are hoping to give the visiting teams the best of facilities for the warm-up matches,” said KCA secretary Vinod S Kumar.
The matches in Thiruvananthapuram will be the last pit stop for the six teams before the start of the World Cup on October 5. The only dampener for the matches would be the weather. The city has been experiencing intermittent rains in the last few days and it could pose a threat to the last round of preparations for the visiting teams.