Save Kochi Turf: Fans in Thiruvananthapuram keep fingers crossed

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On a rainy day in November, last year when the clock ticked past 11 pm the Greenfield Stadium (Sports Hub) in the city thundered as spectators cheered the victory of Indian cricket team against New Zealand by 6 runs. The rain truncated T20 match to an eight-over match. Yet the stadium was full to its capacity. Though an international match was being hosted in the city after a gap of 29 years, the euphoria showcased by the sports fans more or less redeemed the delay with just one match. 
“I am surprised no games were held here earlier,” Indian skipper Virat Kohli had said. That was enough for cricketing enthusiasts to hope for another chance to watch the men in blue in action, till the Kerala Cricket Association took a different view.

City folks are crestfallen, to say the least at KCA’s decision to host the India-West Indies one-day match at Kochi’s Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in November. A social media campaign by the fans has already been noticed at the appropriate level. Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor has taken up the issue with Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai. The MP tweeted he spoke with Rai  “to denounce Kerala Cricket Association’s bizarre decision to transfer the India-WI ODI from a match-ready Trivandrum stadium to Kochi, where the ground was last used for the U17 Football World Cup.”

“It is unfair to the city. We have shown the world we are the best. Then why this discrimination,” said Rajeev Krishnan of Prathidhwani, a socio-cultural organization of IT employees in Technopark. Rohit Jothindran, a cricket fan recalled the enthusiasm of collecting tickets, entering the stadium, waiting for a longer duration over a hot cup of tea and the excitement of being on the winning side that he shared with his friends. 

“Greenfield is one of the best stadiums in the country. Kochi had its share of international cricket and should now focus on football,” said Nikhil (name changed on request) a coordinator for the India-New Zealand Match.  “We are optimistic that we will be able to host more international matches. We are match ready,” said CEO of The Sports Hub, Ajay Padmanabhan. National Senior Women match is currently been held at the stadium.