Cuttack: Even as online booking of tickets for the T20I between India and South Africa at Barabati Stadium in Odisha’s Cuttack city began at 11 am on Wednesday, a public interest litigation (PIL) was filed in Orissa High Court, seeking cancellation of the upcoming match.
The petition has been filed by one Sanjay Nayak of Bhuban in Dhenkanal district. He has sought the court’s direction to cancel the match scheduled for June 12, claiming that Barabati Stadium lacks adequate fire safety measures.
Odisha government, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and 12 others have been made parties in the case.
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The visitors South Africa is scheduled to play a 5-match T20 series in India from June 9 to 19.
The match at Barabati Stadium will be played with 100 per cent spectators capacity under the newly installed LED Flood Light (the first LED Sports Flood Light in Odisha) and newly laid Sand Based Outfield. Both the teams will arrive in Bhubaneswar on June 10 for the match.
Notably, the Odisha Human Rights Commission (OHRC) had recently sought a report from authorities concerned regarding the fire safety measures at the stadium. Hearing a petition filed by Nishikanta Mishra, the commission had issued notice to the Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) and DCP, Cuttack.
OCA Secretary Sanjay Behera had said that adequate fire safety arrangements will be made at the stadium to avoid any untoward incident during the international match.