IPL cricket is back in the city and also Andhra Pradesh. IPL 2015 is the eighth edition of the annual cricket league that gained a lot of popularity with the best players in the world, except from Pakistan, engaged by the franchisees.
For more than one and half a months the teams play 60 matches at different venues, across the country after the league kickstarts on April 8.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, led by Shikar Dhawan, decided to play three of its matches at the ACA-VDCA stadium here and Vizagites will be watching some best teams of the league in action, including last year’s winner Kolkota Knight Riders.
The feast will start with match against Rajasthan Royals on April 16, which starts at 8 p.m., followed by matches against Delhi Daredevils on April 18 and Kolkota Knight Riders on April 22, both will commence at 4 p.m.
Sunrisers retained 12 players that played in the last season. David Warner and Dale Steyn and Indian players Bhuvaneswar Kumar, Ishant Sharma, Lokesh Rahul and others and Vizag’s own Ricky Bhui who was taken into the team last year should be seen in action this year.
Last time the city hosted IPL matches was in April 2012 and the spectators enjoyed both matches to the full. Deccan Chargers Hyderabad (which was later taken over by the Sun network and renamed as Sunrisers, Hyderabad made Visakhapatnam a home venue and played against Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. A last-ball six by Rohit Sharma for Mumbai Indians in his 53-ball 73 ended the shortest version game with the thrill associated with it. Visakhapatnam could not host IPL matches in 2011 due to agitations and after 2012 the franchise decided to have its matches at other places.
Efforts made by Andhra Cricket Association have resulted in IPL coming back to the city.
