Blue wave builds as Guwahati primes for India–NZ T20I night on Jan 25
Adding a spiritual note to the build-up, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir visited the Kamakhya Temple early Sunday morning
Jubiliant fans gathering and making queue hours before India vs New Zealand T20I match at Barsapara ACA stadium (Photo: AT)
Guwahati, Jan 25: Anticipation is high as Guwahati prepares to host the third and final T20 International of the India–New Zealand series at the Barsapara ACA Stadium on Sunday evening, with India entering the contest holding a commanding 2–0 lead.
The match is scheduled to begin at 7 pm, with all seven entry gates of the stadium set to open by 4 pm. Preparations at the venue are in their final stages by Sunday morning, as security personnel, volunteers and event staff took up positions across the stadium.
Cricket fans began arriving hours ahead of the scheduled gate opening, forming early queues and soaking in the pre-match atmosphere. Supporters from across the Northeast and other parts of the country were seen converging on the city for the match.
A group of cricket enthusiasts from Agartala, who reached Guwahati on Saturday, said they were eager to experience the match-day atmosphere at the stadium.
“We came to the stadium in the morning to take a look at the environment here. We already have our tickets booked online. Four of us are here to watch the match together,” one of them said.
Another fan from Tinsukia, clad in the Team India’s blue jersey, said he had travelled overnight to be part of the occasion.
“I took the Rajdhani Express last night to be here today. There is a lot of excitement as India has already won two matches. India needs to win this match in Guwahati to clinch the series,” he said.
He added that the near-capacity crowd could give India a strong home advantage.
“With almost all tickets sold out, it will feel like a home ground. Ishan Kishan and Abhishek Sharma also seem to be in good form,” he said.
Adding a spiritual note to the build-up, Indian head coach Gautam Gambhir visited the Kamakhya Temple early Sunday morning to seek blessings ahead of the crucial encounter.
India head into the third T20I with strong momentum after a 48-run victory in Nagpur, followed by a successful chase of 209 in Raipur, completed with 28 balls to spare.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) noted that the Barsapara Stadium is expected to witness a high-scoring contest, with dew likely to play a significant role in the latter stages of the match.
With the series on the line and a packed house expected, Guwahati is set for a charged evening as India look to seal the T20 series against New Zealand on home soil.