As Asghar Stanikzai and Shalib Al Hasan walked into the middle for the last toss of the three-match T20 series on Thursday, Dayanand Sharma wore a smiling look.
The pitch curator from Bengaluru had ensured at a short notice that the 22-yard strip and the outfield for the first international series at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium held together.
Sharma, a former curator at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in his hometown, has been involved with the Dehradun facility for four years through a private operator. When he was told early in May about the possibility of Afghanistan’s preparatory camp ahead of its first Test and the T20 series, he had a tough task ahead of him. After all, the pitch hadn’t been used for a while and the outfield was from from being lush green.
“There were a few logistical hurdles back then, like the supply of water and electricity. But once all these issues were resolved, it was just a matter of time to get the ground and pitch playable,” Sharma said on Thursday.
“Having been involved here for the last four years, we have been maintaining the ground anyway but to get it in shape for an international series was a challenge but we were confident we can deliver.”
Close to a miracle
In fact, the fact that the series has been conducted in a near-perfect manner is close to a miracle. The eight-member executives team of the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), in association with a Mumbai-based private firm that manages the stadium, had a host of challenges. Bangladesh agreed in principle to play the series on May 18, so the ACB had to get its act together in a fortnight.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) facilitated the ICC venue inspection which was conducted ten days before the series opener. The BCCI also assisted with the logistics and clearance from the authorities. But with the state association non-existent, the ACB had little support from local volunteers. Even the security guards had to be flown in from Mumbai.
There were minor hiccups on the opening day, like the inconsistent internet connectivity for the scorers and the media, but it was understandable considering the limitations with time and resources at ACB’s disposal.
Eventually, the fact that the host won the series and the Garhwalis turned up in huge numbers — combined turnout of 40,000-plus spectators for the three matches — made all the efforts worth it. While the ACB will be better equipped for staging its next series, Dehradun will hope to witness an international game in the near future.
The scores: Bangladesh 134 for eight in 20 overs (Tamim Iqbal 43; Rashid Khan four for 12, Mohammad Nabi two for 19) lost to Afghanistan 135 for four in 18.5 overs (Samiullah Shenwari 49, Mohammad Nabi 31 n.o.; Mosaddek Hossain two for 21).
