Visakhapatnam: Cricket fans here are buzzing with excitement as the Indian Premier League (IPL) returns to the city after a five-year hiatus.
The Delhi Capitals (DC) have declared Visakhapatnam their "second home" for the season. Members of the squad, including stars like Rishabh Pant, Yash Dhul and Ishant Sharma have already arrived and begun practising at the YSR ACA-VDCA stadium.
The city would host two high-voltage matches – the first between DC and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) led by MS Dhoni on March 31, and the second featuring DC and the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) on April 3.
While official confirmation on ticket sales is awaited, an announcement is expected within the next few days.
Social media is abuzz with speculation that the water crisis in Bengaluru might lead to more matches being shifted to Visakhapatnam. There's no official word from IPL or the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) on this.
The ACA is actively preparing for the IPL. Packed houses are expected for both matches, considering the city's long wait since its last IPL encounter in May, 2019 (coincidentally, an eliminator between DC and CSK).
ACA secretary Gopinath Reddy said, "The stadium is being readied, and we'll be meeting with the police and others to finalise security. After that, ticket sales will start."
Visakhapatnam has emerged as a prominent cricketing venue in recent years, hosting T20s, ODIsand Test matches. The ACA expects a high demand for tickets, with the DC-CSK clash likely to be the hottest one. Fans gear up to witness the legendary Dhoni in action.
