BangaloreIndia and Pakistan first met in a World Cup game at the
Sydney Cricket Ground back in 1992. Sachin Tendulkar, then just 18, was
Man of the Match as India won by 54 runs, but Pakistan would have the
last laugh - lifting the trophy with victory over England at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground weeks later. A generation on, the developed
Adelaide Oval will play host to another India-Pakistan contest, the
first for both teams at the 2015 World Cup. This time, the TV audience
alone will be over a billion, with thousands more journeying to South
Australia to witness a rivalry as intense as they come. "We had a visit
to India last year, and we made a strategic decision to target this for
our first game," said Jay Weatherill, the Premier of South Australia,
in an interview with Wisden India. "It's very pleasing that we've been
able to achieve it. "We had some good meetings with the Board of
Control for Cricket in India, and we were able to persuade them that
this would be a good decision for Indian cricket." The Adelaide Oval
was long renowned as one of the game's most picturesque and atmospheric
venues, and the decision to make it a 50,000-seater that would host AFL
football as well was the subject of heated debate. The refurbishment
will cost the state exchequer in the region of half a billion dollars,
and Weatherill admitted that it had been a tough call to take. "It was a
very big decision for us as a state to make," he said. "It is a
much-loved sporting venue. There were concerns from those who love the
ground that we might lose something as a result of the upgrade. But now
people are realising that not only have we upgraded the ground, but
we've kept everything people love about it. "We've preserved the
beautiful grassed hill area, and we've got the Moreton Bay fig trees
that are the backdrop to that. You also have the historic old scoreboard
and the view of the Cathedral. A lot of care was taken to preserve the
integrity of the facades, and the look and feel of the Oval as a whole.
It's a beautiful piece of architecture and it's added a whole new
aspect, a view back over the Torrens River and the city that wasn't
there before." The demand for tickets from the subcontinent is likely
to far outstrip capacity, but the administration is confident that those
that miss out will still enjoy a memorable experience. "We have a large
plaza near the Oval, and I'm sure arrangements will be made for fans to
watch there as well," said Weatherill. "We also want to stress
Adelaide's cricket history. It was after all home to Sir Donald Bradman,
the greatest cricketer of all." Australian sport is no stranger to
titanic tussles. The New South Wales-Victoria rivalry is as old as the
Ashes, and rugby league's State of Origin clashes are passionately
followed in Queensland and New South Wales. India-Pakistan, even if a
one-off, will provide an altogether different flavor. "It's one of the
greatest rivalries in world sport and we're so thrilled to be hosting
it," said Weatherill. "We want to reveal Adelaide and South Australia to
the world and what better way than through cricket, which is a shared
cultural language."India and Pakistan first met in a World Cup game at
the Sydney Cricket Ground back in 1992. Sachin Tendulkar, then just 18,
was Man of the Match as India won by 54 runs, but Pakistan would have
the last laugh - lifting the trophy with victory over England at the
Melbourne Cricket Ground weeks later. A generation on, the developed
Adelaide Oval will play host to another India-Pakistan contest, the
first for both teams at the 2015 World Cup. This time, the TV audience
alone will be over a billion, with thousands more journeying to South
Australia to witness a rivalry as intense as they come. "We had a visit
to India last year, and we made a strategic decision to target this for
our first game," said Jay Weatherill, the Premier of South Australia,
in an interview with Wisden India. "It's very pleasing that we've been
able to achieve it. "We had some good meetings with the Board of
Control for Cricket in India, and we were able to persuade them that
this would be a good decision for Indian cricket." The Adelaide Oval
was long renowned as one of the game's most picturesque and atmospheric
venues, and the decision to make it a 50,000-seater that would host AFL
football as well was the subject of heated debate. The refurbishment
will cost the state exchequer in the region of half a billion dollars,
and Weatherill admitted that it had been a tough call to take. "It was a
very big decision for us as a state to make," he said. "It is a
much-loved sporting venue. There were concerns from those who love the
ground that we might lose something as a result of the upgrade. But now
people are realising that not only have we upgraded the ground, but
we've kept everything people love about it. "We've preserved the
beautiful grassed hill area, and we've got the Moreton Bay fig trees
that are the backdrop to that. You also have the historic old scoreboard
and the view of the Cathedral. A lot of care was taken to preserve the
integrity of the facades, and the look and feel of the Oval as a whole.
It's a beautiful piece of architecture and it's added a whole new
aspect, a view back over the Torrens River and the city that wasn't
there before." The demand for tickets from the subcontinent is likely
to far outstrip capacity, but the administration is confident that those
that miss out will still enjoy a memorable experience. "We have a large
plaza near the Oval, and I'm sure arrangements will be made for fans to
watch there as well," said Weatherill. "We also want to stress
Adelaide's cricket history. It was after all home to Sir Donald Bradman,
the greatest cricketer of all." Australian sport is no stranger to
titanic tussles. The New South Wales-Victoria rivalry is as old as the
Ashes, and rugby league's State of Origin clashes are passionately
followed in Queensland and New South Wales. India-Pakistan, even if a
one-off, will provide an altogether different flavor. "It's one of the
greatest rivalries in world sport and we're so thrilled to be hosting
it," said Weatherill. "We want to reveal Adelaide and South Australia to
the world and what better way than through cricket, which is a shared
cultural language.": 
India
and Pakistan first met in a World Cup game at the Sydney Cricket Ground
back in 1992. Sachin Tendulkar, then just 18, was Man of the Match as
India won by 54 runs, but Pakistan would have the last laugh - lifting
the trophy with victory over England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
weeks later.
A generation on, the developed Adelaide Oval will play host to another India-Pakistan contest, the first for both teams at the 2015 World Cup. This time, the TV audience alone will be over a billion, with thousands more journeying to South Australia to witness a rivalry as intense as they come.
"We had a visit to India last year, and we made a strategic decision to target this for our first game," said Jay Weatherill, the Premier of South Australia, in an interview with Wisden India. "It's very pleasing that we've been able to achieve it.
"We had some good meetings with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and we were able to persuade them that this would be a good decision for Indian cricket."
The Adelaide Oval was long renowned as one of the game's most picturesque and atmospheric venues, and the decision to make it a 50,000-seater that would host AFL football as well was the subject of heated debate. The refurbishment will cost the state exchequer in the region of half a billion dollars, and Weatherill admitted that it had been a tough call to take.
"It was a very big decision for us as a state to make," he said. "It is a much-loved sporting venue. There were concerns from those who love the ground that we might lose something as a result of the upgrade. But now people are realising that not only have we upgraded the ground, but we've kept everything people love about it.
"We've preserved the beautiful grassed hill area, and we've got the Moreton Bay fig trees that are the backdrop to that. You also have the historic old scoreboard and the view of the Cathedral. A lot of care was taken to preserve the integrity of the facades, and the look and feel of the Oval as a whole. It's a beautiful piece of architecture and it's added a whole new aspect, a view back over the Torrens River and the city that wasn't there before."
The demand for tickets from the subcontinent is likely to far outstrip capacity, but the administration is confident that those that miss out will still enjoy a memorable experience. "We have a large plaza near the Oval, and I'm sure arrangements will be made for fans to watch there as well," said Weatherill. "We also want to stress Adelaide's cricket history. It was after all home to Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest cricketer of all."
Australian sport is no stranger to titanic tussles. The New South Wales-Victoria rivalry is as old as the Ashes, and rugby league's State of Origin clashes are passionately followed in Queensland and New South Wales. India-Pakistan, even if a one-off, will provide an altogether different flavor.
"It's one of the greatest rivalries in world sport and we're so thrilled to be hosting it," said Weatherill. "We want to reveal Adelaide and South Australia to the world and what better way than through cricket, which is a shared cultural language."
India
and Pakistan first met in a World Cup game at the Sydney Cricket Ground
back in 1992. Sachin Tendulkar, then just 18, was Man of the Match as
India won by 54 runs, but Pakistan would have the last laugh - lifting
the trophy with victory over England at the Melbourne Cricket Ground
weeks later.A generation on, the developed Adelaide Oval will play host to another India-Pakistan contest, the first for both teams at the 2015 World Cup. This time, the TV audience alone will be over a billion, with thousands more journeying to South Australia to witness a rivalry as intense as they come.
"We had a visit to India last year, and we made a strategic decision to target this for our first game," said Jay Weatherill, the Premier of South Australia, in an interview with Wisden India. "It's very pleasing that we've been able to achieve it.
"We had some good meetings with the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and we were able to persuade them that this would be a good decision for Indian cricket."
The Adelaide Oval was long renowned as one of the game's most picturesque and atmospheric venues, and the decision to make it a 50,000-seater that would host AFL football as well was the subject of heated debate. The refurbishment will cost the state exchequer in the region of half a billion dollars, and Weatherill admitted that it had been a tough call to take.
"It was a very big decision for us as a state to make," he said. "It is a much-loved sporting venue. There were concerns from those who love the ground that we might lose something as a result of the upgrade. But now people are realising that not only have we upgraded the ground, but we've kept everything people love about it.
"We've preserved the beautiful grassed hill area, and we've got the Moreton Bay fig trees that are the backdrop to that. You also have the historic old scoreboard and the view of the Cathedral. A lot of care was taken to preserve the integrity of the facades, and the look and feel of the Oval as a whole. It's a beautiful piece of architecture and it's added a whole new aspect, a view back over the Torrens River and the city that wasn't there before."
The demand for tickets from the subcontinent is likely to far outstrip capacity, but the administration is confident that those that miss out will still enjoy a memorable experience. "We have a large plaza near the Oval, and I'm sure arrangements will be made for fans to watch there as well," said Weatherill. "We also want to stress Adelaide's cricket history. It was after all home to Sir Donald Bradman, the greatest cricketer of all."
Australian sport is no stranger to titanic tussles. The New South Wales-Victoria rivalry is as old as the Ashes, and rugby league's State of Origin clashes are passionately followed in Queensland and New South Wales. India-Pakistan, even if a one-off, will provide an altogether different flavor.
"It's one of the greatest rivalries in world sport and we're so thrilled to be hosting it," said Weatherill. "We want to reveal Adelaide and South Australia to the world and what better way than through cricket, which is a shared cultural language."
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