The excitement is palpable among fans as several renowned international cricket players including Kevin Pietersen, Harbhajan Singh and Aaron Finch have arrived in Jammu for the four-match Legends Cricket League.
The Maulana Azad Stadium, which last hosted an international match in 1988 between India and New Zealand, is the venue of the League which promises to be a thrilling event.
The first match will be played under floodlights between Harbhajan Singh's Manipal Tigers and Aaron Finch's Southern Superstars on Monday, marking a significant moment for fans who have waited for long for this opportunity.
In the second match on November 29, Irfan Pathan-led Bhilwara Kings will take on Southern Super Stars which features players like Yusuf Pathan, Shane Watson and Tillakaratne Dilshan.
On November 30, the India Capitals led by Gautam Gambhir will compete against the Gujarat Giants captained by Parthiv Patel. The match will see participation by stalwarts such as Chris Gayle, S. Sreesanth, Hashim Amla, Kevin Pietersen, Munaf Patel and Abhimanyu Mithun.
The last match in Jammu will take place on December 1 when Bhilwara Kings will play Urban Risers Hyderabad, captained by Suresh Raina.
Strict security measures have been planned for all the four matches.
This year's Legends League Cricket season spans across five cities—Jammu, Ranchi, Dehradun, Vishakhapatnam and Surat.
Raman Raheja, the co-founder and CEO of Legends League Cricket, said he was thrilled to announce the expansion of event to Jammu this season.
Our commitment is to spread cricket's reach across every part of the nation. This marks a special occasion for us as it brings a tournament of this magnitude to the city for the first time.
Tickets at the 20,000-capacity Maulana Azad Stadium are already sold out, highlighting the immense anticipation among the crowd.
The authorities have deployed the commando wing of the J&K Police in and around the venue. The stadium will be fortified with barricades, scanners, X-ray machines and metal detectors. A considerable number of police personnel and commandos will oversee security both inside and outside the stadium.
Strict regulations are in place, prohibiting the entry of certain items like water bottles, food and inflammable substances. The organizers have set up food stalls for the convenience of the spectators.
