By Sports Affairs Bureau
BHUBANESWAR/CUTTACK: With Soubhagya Mohapatra at the helm of affairs and his long experience in dealing with International Cricketers always fetched glory for Hotel Mayfair Lagoon in Bhubaneswar.
With both teams of India and West Indies reached Bhubaneswar on Thursday for the Barabati encounter on December 22 in Cuttack , chefs of Mayfair Lagoon are missing no stone unturned to serve delicious Odia cuisines.
Mayfair Hotel sources said that both teams will relish Odia cuisines during their four-days stay and to keep players of both the teams fit, the Mayfair Hotel has been asked to prepare less spicy food with minimum oil for their lunch and dinner.
According to a Chef of Mayfair, ‘Mutton Kasa’, ‘Mutton Handi’, Deshi Chicken Curry, prawn and pamphlet fishes are in the menu of players. For vegetarians, ‘Kanika Rice’, ‘Dalma’, ‘Badichura’, ‘Khatta’, ‘Khiri’, gourd curry, ‘Mushroom Besar’ and fried green leaves dishes will be prepared. This apart, the teams will be served food in bronze and brass utensils.Also, popular dishes of the hotel will also be offered to the players, the Chef added.
Earlier, two teams and support staff arrived at the Biju Patnaik International Airport here around 1 pm and received a rousing welcome. They were taken to Mayfair Hotel in the city in special buses amid tight police security.
Hundreds of fans were seen cheering for the players on the roadside as the buses headed towards the hotel. Players of the two teams were welcomed at the hotel in a traditional way.A total of 21 platoons of police force have been deployed for the safety of players, Commissionerate Police sources said.
The match will be a decider as India beat West Indies by 107 runs in the second ODI that was played at the VDCA stadium in Visakhapatnam yesterday and levelled the three-match series 1-1.
Meanwhile, BCCI sources in Bhubaneswar said Navdeep Saini is in line to make his ODI debut after replacing the injured Deepak Chahar for the decider of the three-match ODI series in Cuttack on December 22.
Chahar “felt mild pain in his lower back” after the second ODI in Visakhapatnam on Wednesday, according to the BCCI. “The BCCI medical team examined him and has suggested that the fast bowler needs some rest in order to fully recover,” a release said.
Chahar went wicketless for 44 runs in seven overs in the second ODI, which India won by 107 runs to level the series 1-1. In the first ODI, he finished with 1 for 48 from ten overs but West Indies chased down the target of 288 with ease.
Saini has played five T20Is so far and could make his ODI debut on Sunday unless India change their combination and don’t field three quicks.
