50% attendance for England Tests likely

New Delhi, January 20

Indian cricket board (BCCI) officials are contemplating allowing crowds up to 50% of the stadium capacity in both Chennai and Ahmedabad during England’s upcoming four-Test tour to India.

The first two Tests will be played in Chennai from February 5, while the next two will be played at the renovated stadium at Motera in Ahmedabad.

The BCCI is thinking of following the process followed by Cricket Australia, which had allowed entry of spectators during the series against India, which concluded on Tuesday. “As of now, we are likely to allow 50 percent spectators for the four Test matches. The BCCI is in talks with both state cricket associations (of Tamil Nadu and Gujarat) and also state health authorities,” a senior BCCI source said.

However, the BCCI is also factoring the fluid public health situation due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thus, if the caseload in either Chennai or Ahmedabad increases, they will change the plans accordingly. “If you allow 50 percent crowd with all necessary precautions, then it will be an indicator if we can also allow spectators during IPL in India,” the official said.

In the new stadium at Ahmedabad, which can accommodate over one lakh spectators, spacing of seats to maintain social distancing will not be an issue. — PTI

KP warns India

New Delhi: Kevin Pietersen’s tweet in Hindi had the netizens in splits as the former England skipper warned India that the ‘real team’ is coming to take them on. “LEKIN, ASLI TEAM toh kuch hafto baad a rahi hai jisse aapko harana hoga apne ghar mein (But the real team is coming after a few weeks and you have to beat it in your own backyard),” he tweeted. pti