Rain Threat Looms Large Over India-Australia ODI In Hyderabad Today 

Hyderabad: With heavy rains continued to lash the city for the past few days, the third and final ODI to be played in Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket stadium at Uppal on Friday seems to be uncertain. Rain may play spoilsports in the match with weather forecast indicating possibility of light to moderate rain at Hyderabad on Friday.

"The forecast is possibility of thunderstorm accompanied with rain today and a light to moderate rain tomorrow," the Met office said.

The city has been receiving good rainfall almost on a daily basis for about a week, throwing normal life out of gear. Most of the times it is sunny during the day but the weather is turning cloudy all of a sudden by evening and heavy rainfall is being recorded every time.

The city witnessed rains especially at 7:00pm - Friday's match time - most of the days in the last two weeks.

The tickets were sold out for the match and cricket fans are eagerly waiting to see their favorites players hitting shots in the stadium.

Arrangements have been made at the Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket stadium, the venue of the match, to ensure that the match is held without any problem. Curator YL Chandrasekhar said the recent rain has not affected the wicket.

However, the outfield was affected a bit and some fans were being used to dry the affected area.

The T20 series is locked 1-1 after Australia defeated India by eight wickets in the second match at Guwahati on 10 October.

Security Beefed Up At Uppal Stadium

The Rachakonda police commissioner on Thursday issued a notification on the arrangements for the T-20 match between India and Australia scheduled to be held from 7pm on Friday at Uppal's Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium. As many as 1,800 police personnel traffic, law and order, security, Octopus, special branch, armed component, Octopus, central crime station as well as two fire tenders with a firefighting squad will be deployed as part of security arrangments.

56 CCTV cameras have been installed to beef up security in and around the stadium, the department has also deployed separate SHE teams for the safety of women spectators as well as a vendor supervising team to ensure that vendors sell eatables at prices prescribed by the authorities.

Spectators will not be allowed to carry cigarettes, electronic items, sharp metal objects, banners, writing pens, binoculars, water bott les, bags and outside eatables into the stadium. However, national flags can be carried inside but without any sticks or sharp objects to display it.

Signage boards have been erected at different places to guide spectators to the stadium and to ensure smooth flow of traffic before and after the match, provisions have been made for parking of 9,150 vehicles, including 5,150 two wheelers and 4,000 four-wheelers. Parking arrangements have been made for car pass holders inside the stadium, at APIIC grounds and in private open land provided by the department. Two wheelers will be allowed to park in parking-B at the stadium and on either side of the Uppal-Habsiguda and Ramanthapur main roads. If need be, two wheelers will also be allowed to park on both sides of the service road leading to Genpact as well as the Velugu Gutta temple road.

Heavy goods vehicles coming from LB Nagar and Warangal will not be allowed towards Habsiguda during the match and will be diverted accordingly.

Virat Kohli Honoured By Telangana Postal Circle

Indian cricket captain Virat Kohli received an honour from India Post, Telangana Circle on Thursday. The Chief Postmaster General, Brigadier B. Chandrasekhar and Director of Hyderabad Postal Service, VV Satyanarayana Reddy presented the skipper an album containing two stamps, which had his photo printed with Charminar in the backdrop. Kohli was presented two sheets, each containing 12 stamps.