Kolkata goes pink for pink ball cricket

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KOLKATA, Nov 20, 2019 (BSS) – The enthusiasm is palpable as the Kolkata is all set to host the first ever day-night Test between Bangladesh and India, beginning from Friday.

The 2nd Test set to begin with maiden pink ball, Kolkata, popularly known as ‘City of Joy’ has gone for pink to make the occasion a memorable one. A Muscat, made by pink, would receive the people as one enters into the historical Eden Garden, which is the venue of the second and final Test between the two sides.

The Bangladesh tasted a humiliating innings and 130-run defeat to India in the first Test in India. The second in Kolkata is the first match under lights for both of the teams.

So the Cricket Association of Bengal left no stone unturned to make it a historical occasion. They have already chalked up most of the plans for the event, an official said on Monday.

Bangladesh and India arrived in the city as the visitors will also find this venue closer to Bangladesh with both sides greeted with Eden Gardens turning to pink ahead of the match.

The security arrangements also has been increased to higher level near the venue area as many distinguished guests from Bangladesh and India are set to attend the opening day ceremony on November 22.

”It is a big part of Test cricket. The fact that there will be so much people here, you have to acknowledge how important that is. And I think the way people manage their time is trickier, so if you can extend the test match until night time, you can bring more and more people into it,” Bangladesh spin bowling coach Vettori said at the Eden Garden after their opening training session at Eden.

There is some discomfort for two teams ahead of the match since no team played any pink ball Test. India so played some matches in pink ball in Syed Mushtaque Ali trophy, Bangladesh’s last pink ball cricket was way back in 2013 National Cricket League (NCL).

Student from Indian Art College, Dum Dum were seen working hard to draw beautiful graffiti near the club house area of the stadium premises.

Somir Kumar Dey, an executive of Creocraft Ventures Pvt Ltd, an agency which brought these students to work together, said the idea of the graffiti came from BCCI president Sourav Ganguly.

”The idea came from Dada [Sourav Ganguly]. The concept of art is the journey of a boy from gully cricket [street cricket] to the national team. We showed it in two different arts – one as a batsman and one a bowler. Ahead of the first day-night Test we draw both the graffiti,’ he added.

The tickets aspirants were seen leaving the stadium premises with gloomy mood as the first three days online tickets were already sold out.

Despite the CAB’s reluctance of not announcing any possibility of selling off-line tickets, hundreds of fans gathered near Gate-3 and Gate-4 booths to test their lucks.

However, they left the area with broken hearts after not getting any ticket from the booths while only online buyers could collect the match tickets.

The historic Test will kick off at 1:30pm Bangladesh Standard Time and the Indian Army paratroopers will fly into the Eden Gardens to hand over a pink ball each to the two captains just before the toss.

This will be followed by the ringing of the customary Eden Bell by Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

The CAB will also felicitate the team members of Bangladesh-India first ever Test in 2000, a game where Ganguly made his debut as Test captain.

The members of Bangladesh’s inaugural Test however is set to arrive in Kolkata tomorrow.

The city had different places colored in pink as that seems to be the color of the day while the 22 storied TATA building and another 42-storied building will have 3-D mapping.