Mullanpur set for first men’s ODI as India take on West Indies on Oct 3

Spread the news

Pitch expected to offer pace and seam early before slowing down and assisting spinners; match begins at 2 pm

Chandigarh: The Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, will host its first men’s ODI when India take on the West Indies in the third match of their three-game series on Saturday. The match will begin at 2 pm.

The match will have added significance for Punjab cricket, with Shubman Gill leading India, while Punjab players Gurnoor Brar and Naman Dhir are also part of the squad. Gill will captain India on his home turf for the first time, while Dhir has earned his maiden call-up to the senior national side.

The venue has already hosted senior men’s internationals in other formats, including a Test between India and Afghanistan in June and a T20I between India and South Africa in December 2025. It has also hosted women’s ODIs.

With a seating capacity of around 38,000, the floodlit stadium features a herringbone drainage system designed to remove water within about 25 to 30 minutes of rain. Its playing field uses sand rather than conventional soil. The venue also has two international-standard dressing rooms with steam, sauna and ice-bath facilities, besides a gymnasium, media centre and modern spectator facilities.

The playing square uses a mix of red and black soil. Conditions are expected to offer pace and bounce to fast bowlers with the new ball, while the surface could become more conducive to batting once the initial movement settles.

As the match progresses, the surface is expected to slow down, bringing spinners into greater play in the middle overs. Being a day game, dew is unlikely to have much of an impact, while clear and warm weather with little chance of rain is expected to provide favourable conditions for play.

The venue has straight boundaries of around 70 to 75 metres, while the square boundaries measure approximately 65 to 72 metres, providing a mix of scoring areas for batters.

The Punjab Cricket Association has also made student tickets available for Rs 300, with offline sales being conducted at the PCA Box Office outside Gate No. 2 at the stadium. A valid student identity card is mandatory.

General tickets start at Rs 2,500, while North Pavilion seats are priced from Rs 4,000. The Harbhajan Singh Pavilion is priced at Rs 9,000 and corporate hospitality options range from Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000, according to the PCA’s ticket announcement.

The India-West Indies match will thus add another chapter to the relatively short international history of the Mullanpur venue, which has emerged as one of Punjab’s major cricket grounds since opening.