Cuttack Gears Up for India–South Africa T20 Opener
- By Thetripurapost Desk, Cuttack
- Dec 07, 2025
- 577
Ahead of the much-anticipated first T20I between India and South Africa on December 9, the Barabati Stadium and the entire city of Cuttack are gearing up with near-complete preparations. Seating arrangements have been finalized for around 45,000 spectators, and the administration has rolled out extensive measures to ensure crowd management, player security, and overall public convenience.
The Indian squad arrived in Cuttack on Sunday, accompanied by the South African contingent. Both teams travelled from Bhubaneswar Airport to Cuttack in four specially designated buses, with a complete security escort. Upon reaching the venue, players spent about 45 minutes on the ground before returning to their hotel.
To ensure incident-free operations on match day, authorities have installed a three-tier security system in and around Barabati Stadium. Senior officials have reviewed the route chart and traffic movement plan connecting Bhubaneswar to Cuttack. Emphasis has been placed on swift mobility for team buses, and a full-scale carcade rehearsal has already been conducted to simulate emergency-response readiness.
The December 9 encounter marks the opening clash of the five-match T20I series between the two sides. India enters the shorter-format battle after winning the ODI series 2-1, even as South Africa dominated the Test series with a 2-0 clean sweep.
All eyes are now on Cuttack as cricket fans await a high-voltage start to the T20 leg of the tour.