Chris Gayle did a little dance, almost in tune with the traditional drummers who increased the tempo of the beat to welcome the West Indies and Indian cricket teams, at the Nedumbassery airport, on Tuesday.
The teams will play the first of the three-match ODI series at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Thursday.
But, unlike the England team which took time out to appreciate and enjoy Kerala’s Kathakali dancers and the traditional welcome when they arrived here for a one-dayer in January, the two teams that landed today made a quick exit from the airport.
Meanwhile, despite last night’s heavy rain, the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium appeared green and dry this afternoon and the Kerala Cricket Association curator P.V. Ramachandran appeared a relieved man.
“We had covered the entire ground, so despite the heavy rain, there is nothing to worry today,” he said.
The two teams will have their nets on Wednesday. The Sachin Tendulkar pavilion at the stadium will also be inaugurated the same day.
