Fans cheer during the Women’s T20 match between India and Sri Lanka at the ACA–VDCA Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday. | Photo credit: KR DEEPAK
A lively and enthusiastic atmosphere prevailed at the Dr YSR ACA VDCA International Cricket Stadium in Visakhapatnam on Sunday as enthusiastic cricket lovers gathered to witness the first T20 International match between India Women and Sri Lanka Women. Although the stadium was not completely filled, the turnout was impressive.
Spectators were seen sporting blue jerseys, waving the national flag and passionately cheering for the “Women in Blue”. Some fans traveled from all over Andhra Pradesh, including Kakinada, Vizianagaram and Srikakulam, while some even made the journey from neighboring Odisha to support the Indian team. Notably, a significant number of girls and women participated.
Many young fans were seen holding placards reading, ‘Vizag welcomes the world champions’, while others proudly displayed messages of admiration for star players like Smriti Mandanna, Harmanpreet Kaur, Jemimah Rodrigues and Andhra Pradesh’s Sree Charani, who received hearty applause whenever she was in action.
The crowd’s enthusiasm was further boosted by India’s dominant performance after a comprehensive victory in the first T20 match. Spectators praised the disciplined and efficient bowling spells of Arundhati Reddy, Deepti Sharma, Vaishnavi Sharma and Sree Charani which played a key role in restricting Sri Lanka.
The stands erupted as Smriti Mandanna and Jemimah Rodrigues played classy knocks and hit classic boundaries, sending the fans into a frenzy. Many spectators captured these memorable moments on their mobile phones and eagerly shared photos and videos on social media as the players approached the boundary ropes.
Outside the stadium, the festive mood continued with numerous stalls selling Indian team jerseys, caps and flags.
In a heartwarming initiative, Commissioner of Police Shankabratha Bagchi arranged for 60 girls from various NGOs to watch their first ever live international match. The young girls, who were experiencing a live international game for the first time, expressed immense joy and gratitude to the city police for their gesture.
Published – 21 Dec 2025 22:57 IST
