Hyderabad, Nov 9 (IANS): The cloudy weather since morning provided a perfect setting for the third One-Day International (ODI) between India and Sri Lanka at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium here Sunday.
Though it drizzled a bit early in the morning, there was no threat of the rain playing spoilsport. The sun also came out in the afternoon to provide relief from the chill.
A carnival like atmosphere prevailed at the stadium as the cricket-crazy fans headed to the stadium much before the toss. Sporting India T-shirts and holding Indian flags, the youth descended on the stadium. Some had painted the tricolour on their cheeks. A few fans said they are missing regular India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.
"Cricket is always a good entertainer, especially when two strong sides face each other. Expecting a close finish but wish to see India prevail to win the series," said L. Harsha, a student.
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Over 28,000 spectators turned out on a Sunday afternoon to watch their favourite stars take on the team from the island nation. The excitement and enthusiasm was visible in the stands right from the word go as the fans cheered the fall of every Sri Lankan wicket and good saves by Indian fielders. The stadium has a total capacity of 34,185.
The first over by Umesh Yadav provided the excitement as Sri Lankan opener Kusal Perera fell on the last ball.
There was disappointment for those who wanted to see some big hits as the Sri Lankan stars did not live up to the expectations. However, experienced Mahela Jayawardene, with his century, provided some entertainment and ensured that the visitors reached a respectable total. In the process, he reached a personal milestone of 12,000 runs.
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The tight security was no deterrent to the fans, who were not allowed to carry mobile phones, carry bags or even water bottles inside the stadium. With the chief minister visiting the stadium, the police further tightened the security. Traffic restrictions around the stadium in view of the VIP movement caused traffic jams.
About 1,500 policemen from various wings of the Cyberabad police were deployed as part of the massive security. According to Cyberabad Police Commissioner C.V. Anand, 56 closed circuit cameras were installed at the venue. A command and control room was also set up to keep a tight vigil. Police had also kept Quick Response Teams (QRTs) and the anti-terror OCTOPUS teams on standby.
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Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao was accorded a red-carpet welcome before the start of the match. As Hyderabad is hosting the first One-Day International (ODI) after formation of a separate Telangana state, the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA) rolled out the red carpet.
KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known, reached the specially erected podium, set free a pigeon and released balloons before meeting the two teams. HCA president Arshad Ayub introduced the players and other members of both the squads.
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It was the fifth ODI to be played on this ground and the first between India and Sri Lanka. The hosts have won one out of the four matches played here earlier. The stadium, built as per international standards, hosted the first match in 2005 between India and South Africa. India lost that match and also the two games to Australia. The only win came against England in the previous match played here in 2011. India won that match by 126 runs.