IND-W vs WI-W, 1st ODI: Vadodara welcomes international cricket with new stadium

IND-W vs WI-W, 1st ODI: Vadodara welcomes international cricket with new stadium

As India takes on the West Indies in the three-match women’s ODIs at the Kotambi Stadium, an injured Yastika Bhatia will be missing out on an opportunity to play at home.

The youngster, who suffered a wrist fracture last month, is currently at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru, and India head coach Amol Muzumdar hoped that she will be back in action soon.

“The team will miss them, but we will try and pick the best eleven for the ODI series. Yastika is currently spending her time at the NCA and hopefully, she will be fit and fine soon,” Muzumdar said on the eve of the series opener.

The newly-built Kotambi Stadium will host its maiden international fixture on Sunday and Muzumdar was excited to be at the new venue. “I have been coming to Vadodara since 1987, but this is the first time I came to stadium and I am really happy to see such lovely facilities,” he said, adding: “The city has some good grounds, but this facility looks very good. And, when the series begins, we would like to take one game at a time and hopefully, we will do well…”

To mark the occasion, the Baroda Cricket Association will host a small programme, which will be attended by its former president and erstwhile IPL chairman Chirayu Amin and former India cricketer Kiran More, among others. A limited number of tickets, priced at Rs 100, have been put up on sale and the association expects a good turnaround at the venue, which is located about 30 kilometres away from the Vadodara city.