CCI to host two international events

The club is still working on the measures to ensure a smooth flow of spectators and foolproof security during WTA Mumbai Open and ODI match on Monday.

Cricket Club of India is bracing up for a difficult task to host two international events in its premises on Monday. The club will host the fourth ODI between India and West Indies at Brabourne stadium and the main draw of the WTA Mumbai Open $125k series will commence on the same day at its tennis courts.

The stadium last hosted an ODI game in 2006 which was the final of the ICC Champions Trophy between Australia and West Indies. Australia won the event for the first time. Cricket had returned to CCI in 2006 after a hiatus of eleven years. It later hosted a T20I game and a Test, IPL matches and some games during the ICC Women’s World Cup in 2013. It has also hosted many domestic games. The last men's International was a Test match in 2009 between India and Australia.

International Cricket is returning to the club after BCCI shifted the game from original venue Wankhede stadium. This had put some CCI members in a huddle to shift the tennis games on Monday to some other day and ensure smooth conduct of the cricket match.

But Mumbai Open was allotted way before and CCI had done a lot of work to be prepared for the second edition of the tournament after hosting it successfully last year.

The centre court, the two match courts as well as the two practice courts have been re-laid, and will now sport a vibrant purple colour with green borders, similar to the courts used as per various international events.

Floodlighting and players lounges of international standard have been created. Stands for around 2000 spectators have been set up along with corporate boxes.

WTA has a packed calendar and they live streams the matches so the main draw will commence on Monday after the qualifiers over the weekend. “We have been able to convince WTA to do fewer matches on Monday. We will conduct matches in the morning session only and ensure we wrap up well before the cricket match. We will play more games on Tuesday and Wednesday to complete the first round matches,” said Maharashtra State Lawn Tennis Association, Secretary, Sunder Iyer.

The entry to WTA event is free after online registration and club will have to manage exit of the tennis fans and entry of cricket fans smoothly. Due to ongoing metro work, the club has less space on one side of the gate which may make their task even more difficult.

But with Maharashtra government behind the WTA event, CCI Club President, Premal Udani is confident to host both international events on the same day. “We are still working out things and we have Maharashtra Govt with us who will help us in ensuring foolproof security.”

Maharashtra Chief Minister’s wife Amruta Fadnavis is chief patron of the WTA Mumbai Open like last year and Pallavi Dharade, IRS, is the Organising Secretary of the tournament.

The club is planning separate entry for tennis courts and different entry gates for cricket match. To control crazy cricket fans will be a challenge for the club officials.