From port city to fortress in a day
Visakhapatnam, Oct. 18: With the first encounter of the three-match ODI series between India and Australia at Kochi washed off without a ball being bowled, the focus now shifts to the east coast, Visakhapatnam, venue of the second one-dayer. The Dr Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Stadium turned into a fortress on Monday, with close to 3,000 policemen from various districts guarding the picturesque Stadium.
The two teams arrived in the afternoon and were put up at the Gateway Hotel, overlooking the pristine beach. The build-up to this encounter has been splendid, with tickets being sold out in a flat 30 minutes. “Barring a few seats with the higher denominations (`2,000, `3,000 and `5,000), the others have been sold out,” said Gokaraju Gangaraju, president, Andhra Cricket Association.
The ACA officials have ensured that the mood in the city is upbeat with hoardings of the clash adorning major junctions of the city. “It was done in order to get the people excited about the big clash and in the hope that India and Australia live up to the expectations of the cricket-loving public,” Gokaraju added.
Speaking to this newspaper, J. Purandereshwar Rao, Commissioner of Police, Visakhapatnam, observed that security was beefed up not only to give cover to the two teams and the stadium but also ensure that spectators and the public remained unaffected.
“We have about 14 diversions which will help ease the traffic during the match,” he said.
Pic Caption:
India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni practises at the Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Stadium in Vizag on Monday.
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