Kanpur: Green Park stadium here will witness a rare occasion with glittering function when it will host the 500 Test Match for the country when visiting New Zealand team plays against Team India in the first test match starting from September 22.Celebrations include a gala dinner before the match which will not just be attended by both the teams but also many former stars.
"Yes, we are hosting a celebration dinner for all former players of India, former captains, trying to invite everybody for the 500th match," confirmed UP Cricket Association secretary Rajiv Shukla.UPCA will also provide free tickets to the school children and will distribute free T-shirts to celebrate the occasion.
"We are fortunate that the BCCI has given us India's 500th Test match.This is a big honor for us.
We are working out to make it a big celebration," Mr Shukla, further told mediapersons here yesterday.
Kanpur, hosting a Test for the first time since 2009, has had a dubious past, having got a flak from the ICC in 2008 for preparing a sub-standard pitch for the third Test between India and South Africa."We hosted IPL games which is a big thing as there is so much involved in it, franchises, their entourage, etc.
We had best arrangements at the hotel and ground.Even Apple CEO Tim Cook and Finance Min Arun Jaitley who came to watch the games were impressed a lot," says Mr Shukla.After hosting two IPL matches recently, the Green Park stadium will now host a Test match between India and New Zealand for which preparation in the last stage.Green Park is also slated to hold a T20 match between England and India in February 2017.(UNI)