ASSISTANT Manager of the Guyana National Stadium at Providence, Mahinder Ghanshiam, has confirmed that the venue is fully prepared and ready to host its leg of the series between the West Indies and India.

The two teams clash in the last of three T20 Internationals, starting at 10:30hrs on August 6, then two days later, they meet in the first of three ODI matches, commencing at 09:30hrs – the first time in three decades the two sides will contest an ODI in the South American nation.

“We are fully ready and prepared right now … we are putting the finishing touches to what we do best. So, as we speak, most of the systems are in place and we are fully ready to host these matches,” Ghanshiam said.

When Chronicle Sport visited the venue yesterday, the place was a hive of activity with workers putting the finishing touches to the various areas of the stadium.

Equipped with the best drainage system among the International venues in the West Indies, the outfield looked lush green and billiard-table smooth, despite the prolonged rainy season. To this end, ground staff are confident that once there is no continuous rain on match days, the games will not be affected in any way.

Meanwhile, an official from the Guyana Cricket Board (GCB) has confirmed that ticket sales are moving at a fast rate.

Tickets for children aged 12 and under are free with the purchase of an adult ticket for all matches. Senior citizens – aged 60 plus – on presentation of a form of national photo identification at local box offices are also eligible for free tickets while stocks last for all matches, except the two MyTeam11 Twenty20 Internationals in the United States.
The India cricket team will return to Guyana for the first time since 2002 and will make a maiden appearance at the national stadium, Providence.

The One-Day International will be the third between the two sides here. Prior to the ODI on August 8, India have only played ODI cricket here twice, in 1983, when they beat the West Indies by 25 runs at Albion and at Bourda in 1989 when West Indies won by 101 runs.

The Windies and India will also play two Tests from August 22 to 26 at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground in Antigua and from August 30 to September 3 at Sabina Park in Jamaica – during the five-week tour.

The India cricket team toured the Caribbean in June and July 2017 to play five One-Day Internationals (ODIs) and a Twenty20 International (T20I) match. India won the ODI series 3-1. The West Indies won the one-off T20I match by nine wickets.