India, England Gamers Attain Kolkata For T20I Sequence Opener

The world champions, Workforce India, and the visiting England squad arrived in batches on Saturday night forward of their series-opening T20I right here on Wednesday. 

With a slight nip within the air, cricket fever is about to grip Kolkata as soon as once more as the enduring Eden Gardens prepares to host its first T20 Worldwide in practically three years.

Starting with the Eden T20I, the 2 groups will battle it out in a full white ball sequence, consisting 5 T20Is and three ODIs, which is able to function a vital warm-up for the Champions Trophy, slated to start on February 19 in Pakistan and Dubai.

English all-rounder Liam Livingstone, recent from his stint with Pretoria Capitals within the ongoing SA20, was the primary to examine in, flying straight from South Africa.

The Jos Buttler-led remainder of the England squad, which had been coaching in Dubai, arrived later within the night.

Being a recent sequence, Workforce India gamers additionally trickled in from their respective hometowns. Rising stars Nitish Kumar Reddy and Rinku Singh have been among the many first to reach in Kolkata at 4:30 pm. 

Later within the night, captain Suryakumar Yadav landed together with Tilak Varma, who shared a photograph of the duo sitting collectively on the flight in his Instagram story.

Head coach Gautam Gambhir and remainder of the gamers checked in later within the night.

Making his worldwide comeback after greater than 14 months, pacer Mohammed Shami and all-rounder Hardik Pandya are slated to land round midnight, stated the native group supervisor.

Each groups may have three coaching periods forward of the opening T20I.

The England squad is scheduled for a day follow session on Sunday, whereas Workforce India will take the sphere within the night.

From right here the groups will journey to Chennai for the second T20I (January 25) and the five-match sequence will conclude in Mumbai on February 2.

Will probably be adopted by ODIs in Nagpur (February 6), Cuttack (February 9), and Ahmedabad (February 12).

India enter the sequence on a excessive after a commanding 3-1 victory in opposition to South Africa of their earlier T20I sequence, led by Suryakumar Yadav.

Rohit Sharma will return to captain the ODI squad, which was introduced in Mumbai on Saturday together with India’s Champions Trophy roster.

This marks Eden Gardens’ first Worldwide match since internet hosting the ODI World Cup conflict between Australia and South Africa on November 16, 2023.

The historic venue final hosted a T20I on February 20, 2022, when India confronted the West Indies.

The Cricket Affiliation of Bengal expects a full-capacity crowd for the sequence opener.

“With a little bit of chill within the air and the festive season simply behind us, it’s the proper time to get pleasure from cricket,” stated CAB president Snehasish Ganguly. “The response for tickets has been overwhelming, with queues stretching all the way in which to the Excessive Courtroom when counter gross sales started the opposite day. We predict a full home for the match.”

To make the event much more memorable, the CAB has organised a particular felicitation ceremony on Monday night.

The occasion will honour the Beneath-15 ladies’s champions group, in addition to the senior ladies’s aspect, who completed as runners-up in each the home T20 and one-day tournaments.

Former India captain Mithali Raj would be the chief visitor, joined by iconic metropolis legends Sourav Ganguly and Jhulan Goswami.

The CAB additionally hopes the presence of Indian T20I skipper Suryakumar so as to add additional star energy.