Hyderabad: Just when the Hyderabad Cricket Association was celebrating the news of getting the opportunity to host the IPL final, a gale force blew away the major portion of the canopy at the south end on the Grand Stand at the Rajiv Gandhi Stadium.
Now there are two options in front of the officials, one is they can make alternative arrangements for the canopy. Two, they can remove whatever is left. In addition, the floodlights are also damaged due to the gale.
Back in 2013, the HCA had spent 32 lakhs to install makeshift towers under the canopy at the Southern Stand. The work on the canopy at the South and North that began on February 21, 2011, ended after an agreement between the HCA and the M\s Star Mercantile, costing 21 crores. Now, the officials are not yet sure whether there is any insurance cover for this kind of damage to the canopy.
It is nearly impossible to cover the entire stand with the canopy yet again before the match between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Kings XI Punjab which is scheduled on April 29. The final is set to take place on May 12.
The HCA now will be looking for an alternative solution for the problem so that there will not be any question on its position to host the IPL final after the unexpected damage.
