MCA`s Gahunje Stadium in Pune set to host first-ever ODI

Pune: Maharashtra Cricket Association is gearing up set to host the first-ever One-Day International at the Gahunje Stadium here when the visiting Australian cricketers would clash with their Indian counterparts in the first match of the best-of-seven series on October 13.

"This being the first One-Day International match at the MCA Stadium, we want to make it a grand success," said MCA President Ajay Shirke at a media conference here today. "October 13 being a Sunday and also Dussera day, the very day when the foundation stone of this stadium was laid a few years ago, we couldn`t have asked for more," he added. The ticket prices for the game range from a minimum of Rs 750 to a maximum of Rs 6 lakh for the 12-seater corporate box. Australia are to commence their tour with a T20 International against the hosts on October 10 at Rajkot and would play the remaining six ODIs at Jaipur (Oct 16), Mohali (Oct 19), Ranchi (Oct 23), Cuttack (Oct 26), Nagpur (Oct 30) and Bangalore (Nov 2). The Gahunje stadium hosted its first T20 International between India and England last December and it was won by the home team. Besides the T20 international, the stadium has hosted 17 games of the Indian Premier League. The city would be hosting an Indo-Australia ODI after over 12 years. On the previous occasion, Sourav Ganguly-led India lost to the Aussies at the Nehru Stadium in March 2001. Australia would be playing a game in this city after ten years, having featured in the fifth match of the TVS Cup here in 2003 against New Zealand. Overall, the India-Australia game would be 11th ODI to be held in Pune, the last being on November 3, 2005 when these two teams clashed at the multi-purpose Nehru Stadium which has, since then, ceased to host big cricket ties. PTI