DHARAMSALA gears up for India-England ODI on Jan 27

Dharamsala, January 16, 2013: The most beautiful cricket  stadium in the world, HPCA Dharamsala will be hosting an ODI for  the first time on January 27 between India and England.

This hill city of Himachal is gearing up for the exciting cricketing season. This beautiful stadium with a back drop of Dhouladhar snow ranges of Himalayas   has been hosting IPL matches during the past few years. However, it is for the first time that the stadium will host an international cricket match. A successful go ahead shall bring the cricket stadium on the map of the ICC for hosting test and one-day matches.

However, the Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) will not have that much government or administrative support it used to get during the previous government. The HPCA is headed by Anurag Thakur, BJP MP from Hamirpur and son of former Chief Minister PK Dhumal.

The HPCA had been on the target of the Congress, which is now ruling the state. The Congress had been alleging that the HPCA had allotted land for the construction of a five-star hotel after violation of law. It had also been accused the previous government of not charging entertainment tax from the companies that hosted IPL matches at Dharamsala. They had also been alleging that the HPCA did not pay the state government for providing security during the matches.

Now, it everybody is eager to see whether or not the present Congress-led government provides the facilities to the HPCA that it used to get during the previous BJP-led government for hosting cricket matches.

On the other hand HPCA president Anurag had said that  they would invite the Himachal Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh to inaugurate the one-day match between India and England on January 27.

Insiders in the state government said though the new Congress-led government in Himachal Pradesh might do anything that was detrimental for the organisation of international one-day match in January, the fight for regaining some hold in the HPCA that is dominated by Anurag and his loyalists might just begin after the match.

Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) has appointed KyaZoonga.com as the exclusive Ticketing and Accreditation partner for this Airtel Series India v England 5th One day International (ODI) to be held on January 27. An official of this agency said that  tickets are available on www.kyazoonga.com and at specific retail outlets across Himachal Pradesh and at the stadium box office, starting on January 20.

Anurag Thakur said, “Kyazoonga has a successful record of ticketing various high profile cricket tournaments in India including all ICC FTPs and the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.”

Speaking on the partnership, Neetu Bhatia, Co-Founder and CEO of KyaZoonga.comsaid, “We are excited to be partnering with HPCA for ticketing Dharamsala’s first ever ODI. There is already a lot of demand for the tickets and the trend is expected to continue as the match date approaches.”

Tickets for the match are available at select retail outlets, like Rana Travels and  Mc'llo Restaurant in Dharamsala , Uth Zone Kangra , Planet I Hamirpur, Sarwari Kullu , Creation Unlimited Chamba, Delhi KyaZoonga Corporate Office New Delhi.

At the same time the officials of Met Department have predicted minimum of 3 degree Celsius on January 27 with a cloudy, rainy and chilly weather, which may start deteriorating from January 25 onwards and extend up to January 28.