NEW DELHI: The Odisha Cricket Association (OCA) has given the first ticket for the India–South Africa T20 match on December 9 to Lord Jagannath, seeking blessings for the smooth organisation of the fixture.OCA secretary Sanjay Behera, along with other members of the association, visited the Shree Jagannath temple in Puri on Sunday and offered the ticket at the shrine.
“The first ticket was placed at the lotus feet of the Lord as a symbolic invitation, seeking his divine blessings,” the OCA official was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.South Africa’s men’s team is currently touring India. The Proteas won the two-match Test series 2-0, while India beat South Africa by 17 runs in the first ODI of the three-match series on Sunday.Virat Kohli dispelled any doubts about his enduring quality with the 50-over World Cup on the horizon after scoring a match-winning hundred in the first ODI.The 37-year-old made 135 off 120 balls — his 52nd one-day international century — to take India to a 17-run win in the opening ODI in Ranchi on Sunday.Kohli, who now features only in the 50-over format after retiring from Tests and T20Is, batted with fellow senior player Rohit Sharma, 38.Kohli and Rohit added 136 runs for the second wicket. Rohit scored 57, bringing up his 60th ODI fifty, as India reached 349 for eight.Kohli hit 11 fours and seven sixes during his innings.The second ODI will be held in Raipur on December 3 and the final match of the series will be played in Visakhapatnam on December 6.After that, the five-match T20I series will begin, with the first game scheduled in Cuttack on December 9.
