Indian Express

Dharamsala gears up for Sunday

Ashwani Sharma Posted online: Fri Jan 25 2013, 01:45 hrs
Shimla/Dharamsala : Dharamsala, the only cricket stadium in Himachal Pradesh, is ready to host its first international match on Sunday. It will play host to the fifth and the last ODI between India and England, which will also be attended by Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh.

“I have just received a call from the chief minister, confirming that he will be present on the occasion,” Anurag Thakur, president of Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association, said.

He added: “The match will set the ball rolling for future international matches here. By hosting the match, Himachal Pradesh will be promoted among 145 countries across the world. The next step will be to hold a test match at this ground.”

At an altitude of 1,317 m, the stadium is the first full-fledged stadium in Himachal Pradesh. Earlier, the ground had only hosted IPL matches.