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The quarterfinal between Indian and Australia will be played at Motera stadium, Ahmedabad on Thursday. It is virtual a final between two cricket giants- defending world champions Australia and 2011 world cup favourite India. All eyes are set on this match because one of the two giants and traditional rivals of cricket is going to make berth in semifinal.
Tickets for this Cricket World Cup quarterfinal match have been sold out. There were huge queues to get entry into over 48,000 capacity stadium as people had started lining up from the night after it became clear that India will play against Australia at Motera.
Unprecedented security arrangements have been made by the city police for the match due to the threat of possible terror attack. The police have virtually turned the Motera stadium into a fortress. Police has also made elaborate round the clock security arrangements at the hotel in which both the teams are staying. Apart, from this, sniffer dogs, bomb disposal squads, quick response teams of the police have kept on high alert for the match. Video recording will also be done.
Motera Stadium- History and backgrounds:
Sardar Patel Stadium of Motera - Ahmedabad is one of the premiers Cricket stadiums of India located in the Motera area out skirts of the city. Because of its location, the stadium is commonly called Motera Stadium to avoid confusion with another stadium of the same name in the heart of the city. Sardar Patel - Motera stadium is owned by financially rich Gujarat Cricket Association and comes under the aegis of the West Zone. It is the largest stadium in the state of Gujarat, and has an official capacity of 48 thousand spectators. It is equipped with floodlights for day-and-night games and is a regular venue for Test cricket and One Day Internationals (ODI) matches. Formerly known as the Gujarat Stadium, the ground was later renamed in tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, India's first Home Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
As of March 2011, the Motera stadium has played host to 21 ODI matches including two league matches of world cup 2011. In India, only Eden Gardens (23 ODI Matches) has hosted more ODI matches than Motera Stadium.
The stadium hosted its first International Test match on November 12, 1983 between India and the West Indies. Later in the 1984-85 Australia-India series, Sardar Patel Stadium went on to host its first ODI match in which Australia beat the India.
Record books of Motera Stadium:
Sunil Gavaskar became the first-ever cricketer to score 10,000 runs in Test cricket on this ground - a feat he achieved against Pakistan. Seven years later Kapil Dev claimed his 432nd Test wicket on this ground to become the highest wicket taker in the world, breaking Sir Richard Hadlee's record for the most number of wickets in Test matches here. Before he became the highest wicket taker, Kapil Dev also made a nine-wicket haul in his career here at the Motera ground.
In 1996, the ground hosted a low-scoring Test match against South Africa, where the tourists faltered while chasing a paltry 170 for a win to end up at 105 all out. Javagal Srinath scalped six wickets in the fourth innings of the match. However, South Africa had their sweet revenge when they bowled India out for 76 runs in the first session of the Test match in 2008 and then went on to win it by an innings and 90 runs.
The Stadium was also one of the venues for the 2006 edition of the ICC Champions Trophy, with five of the 15 games being played here. It has also hosted one game in each of the two Cricket World Cups that were played in the country, including the first match of the 1996 World Cup between England and New Zealand.
Stands and Pavilions of Motera Stadium:
Current seating arrangements at Motera Stadium are divided in roof covered two tiers stands and pavilions. GMDC Upper and Lower Stands, East Upper and Lower Pavilion are Public seating, Adani Lower Pavilion - Players dressing room, corporate boxes and public reserved seating, Adani Upper Pavilion is for Public seating, Club Pavilion for Members seating and West Pavilion is for Public seating. The media is also well taken care of, with an air-conditioned press box. Press box is wi-fi enabled and has a multi purpose media conference room. The stadium has car-park for 10,000 vehicles. The Adani Pavilion also houses more than 20 air-conditioned corporate boxes. There are 21 entry gates to the stadium making it easier for spectators to enter the stands.
India at Motera Stadium:
India played 13 one day matches at Motera Stadium out of total 21 ODI matches played at Motera stadium so far. Out of 13, India won 5 ODIs, while lost 7 ODIs. One match was cancelled.
Australia played 4 ODIs at Motera Stadium- out of which won 3 while lost one- which is against India- in 1986.
India and Australia played two ODIs against each other in Motera Stadium. Both the teams won one and lost one match each.
Yogesh Pandya, AIR Correspondent, Ahmedabad |
