“Outrage as BCCI uses sponges and paint buckets to clean rain-hit pitch at Narendra Modi Stadium”

AHMEDABAD: One of the largest stadiums in the world, state-of-the-art facilities… capacity to accommodate 1.32 lakh spectators… the accolades of Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad are endless. The Narendra Modi Stadium has been selected by the BCCI to host the 2023 IPL final as it can accommodate more spectators.

As the final was interrupted by rain on 28 May, it was decided to hold the final on the reserve day, the following day on 29 May. Batting first, Gujarat scored 214 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs. After Chennai’s reply, rain came as a villain. The players quickly left the ground and covered the pitch.

But now the social media has gone viral due to the anger of the authorities to clean up the ground after the rain. The ground staff struggled to get wet in the rain. In the stadium, which claims to have state-of-the-art facilities, the staff used ordinary sponges to clean the pitch. The video of the staff scooping up water with a sponge, collecting it in a paint bucket and taking it outside went viral in no time.

Many have commented that it is a shame that the BCCI, despite being the richest cricket organization in the world, does not have a ground drying machine. The match was delayed by more than two hours and the overs were shortened due to the lack of state-of-the-art machines. It rained for only half an hour. But the staff had to work hard for two hours to remove the moisture from the pitch.

The staff cleaning the ground with paint buckets and sponges were shot on mobile phones and circulated on social media. Stadiums in foreign countries have state-of-the-art facilities for pitching. Many people are asking why India has such a rich cricket organization and not spending money. Many people also commented that this is a shame for India. On May 28, when it rained in the stadium, there were leaks at many places. Fans copied it and spread it on social media.