Uncertain weather conditions, with the looming threat of heavy rain on the horizon, have cast a long shadow over the decisive T20 International between India and New Zealand at the greenfield stadium, The Sports Hub, here on Tuesday.
With India winning the first match in Delhi and the Kiwis clinching the second one at Rajkot, cricket lovers are eagerly awaiting the outcome of the third and final clash between the two teams. The heavy showers which lashed Thiruvananthapuram on Monday noon have done little to dampen the spirit of cricket fans here, though they are keeping their fingers crossed, hoping for dry weather conditions to prevail.
The ground and pitch inspection by the New Zealand team management had to be called off due to the rain. Earlier, the two teams had opted to skip net practice on Monday.
The Met Centre, Thiruvananthapuram, has forecast generally cloudy sky with a few spells of rain or thundershowers on Tuesday. Director S. Sudevan said the prevailing atmospheric conditions in Kerala were conducive for thunderstorm activity.
“However, the location and time of thundershowers cannot be forecast. While Aluva, Kochi and Perumbavoor had witnessed good rain on Saturday, it was Kottayam and Kollam on Sunday and Thiruvananthapuram and other places today”, he said. Officials said the stadium had a drainage system that would clear the rainwater and make the ground ready in less than an hour of sunlight. But in the event of a heavy spell after the first ball had been bowled, the organisers may have to truncate or even abandon the match.That is what most cricket fans dread because it is after almost 30 years that the State capital is hosting an international match at the multi-purpose stadium with a seating capacity of 55,000 that was constructed for the National Games in 2015.
