New Chandigarh: Stands named after India women’s captain Harmanpreet Kaur and former men’s all-rounder Yuvraj Singh were inaugurated ahead of the second men’s T20I against South Africa at the Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium on Thursday.
Siddhant Sharma, the officiating Secretary of Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), had previously told IANS about honouring Harmanpreet and Yuvraj by naming stands after them, with the duo to be in attendance at the venue.
The inauguration on Thursday was led by Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and PCA President Amarjit Mehta, with BCCI President Mithun Manhas and Punjab Governor Gulab Chand Kataria in attendance as well.
Last month, Harmanpreet created history by leading India to its first senior ICC trophy in women’s cricket by lifting the ODI World Cup title at the D.Y. Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai.
Yuvraj, meanwhile, played a pivotal role in India’s twin World Cup triumphs -- the inaugural T20 World Cup in 2007 and the ODI World Cup in 2011. He had cemented his legacy as one of the game’s great match-winners in white-ball cricket. Yuvraj also joined the Indian team huddle ahead of the second T20I and offered words of wisdom to the Suryakumar Yadav-led side.
Harmanpreet has become the third Indian women’s cricketer to have a stand named after her. Previously, legendary players like Jhulan Goswami (Eden Gardens, Kolkata) and Mithali Raj (ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium, Visakhapatnam) were bestowed with this honour.
In the presence of Mann and other PCA office bearers, cash rewards of Rs 11 lakh for Harmanpreet, Amanjot Kaur, and Harleen Deol were also handed out, while the fielding coach of the World Cup-winning team, Munish Bali, was given a reward of Rs 5 lakh.
It’s also the first time that the stadium, which already has a stand named after former India off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, will be hosting a men’s international match, after hosting two India-Australia women’s ODIs in September.
Adding more sparks to the second T20I will be the presence of three Punjab players in vice-captain Shubman Gill, opener Abhishek Sharma, and fast bowler Arshdeep Singh in India’s playing eleven.
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