India and Australia are set to face off in the fourth T20I of their bilateral series at the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh Stadium in Raipur on Friday.
Bet on India vs Australia and other cricket matches here!
India won the first two matches in Visakhapatnam and Thiruvananthapuram, chasing 209 and defending 235 respectively. In the third match in Guwahati, however, the hosts were denied a series-clinching victory after Glenn Maxwell's blistering century (104*) helped the Aussies chase down 223 off the final ball of the match.
But while the players may be ready for the game, some concerning news has emerged about the venue's readiness for the fourth match.
No electricity at Raipur stadium - Will the Ind vs Aus T20I take place on Friday?
A report from NDTV earlier on Friday highlighted a glaring issue with the stadium; a deficient electricty supply as a result of an unpaid bill.
According to the report, the stadium has an outstanding electricity bill of Rs 3.16 crore, pending since 2009. In 2018, athletes participating in a half-marathon at the stadium realised there was no electricity and raised the issue after which the fact of the dues emerged.
At the request of the Chhatisgarh State Cricket Association, a temporary connection was installed but this services only the spectators' gallery and boxes. The floodlights at the stadium will be operated using generators.
The match between India and Australia is still likely to proceed as planned, as the stadium has hosted three international matches since the electricity supply was cut in 2018.
However, any issues with the lights during the game could end prove to be an enormous source of embarrassment for the state association, as well as the BCCI, which is the richest cricket board in the world.
Ready to make your predictions and win on the International Cricket matches? To find all the latest odds, betting and cricket scores and fixtures from India click here
