Sheikh Kamal International Cricket Stadium in Cox’s Bazar is a bit different compared to all the other venues of the ongoing Under-19 World Cup. After all, no other tournament venue is located just beside the beach and surrounded by such natural beauty. Hosts Bangladesh U-19 will be playing two of their Group A matches at this venue, stationed on the longest sandy beach of the world. In total, the venue will host 17 matches but access of the general public in the venue for witnessing the games will be limited.
While all the other venues of the tournament have access through purchase of tickets, SKICS will allow invited personnel only. The two grounds in the venue have a capacity of only 1,800. The stand in the main ground has a seating arrangement for 1,400 fans while the makeshift stand in Ground 2 has seats for 400 people.
Security is one of the chief reasons for such limitation, informed Mohammad Fuku Mia, who is in charge of dispersing the invitation cards. All the sporting venues in Bangladesh has steel fence to limit access of the general viewers in the ground but not SKICS.
“Invitees mostly involve government officials, sports organisers, players and recognised personnel only. Friends and family members of the Bangladesh cricketers and team management are also a part of it. We have to limit the access to the venue in order to have foolproof security,” Fuku Mia explained.
