Post air pollution now it is cyclone threat that looms over the India-Bangladesh series. Cyclone Maha is going to make landfall on the West Coast on November 6 just a day before the second T20I between India and Bangladesh.
After being defeated in the first match of the series, the hosts would look for revenge in the next one scheduled to be played on November 7 in Rajkot. But the Ahmedabad centre of the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) said a severe storm Cyclone Maha, in all probability, would land in Gujarat between Dwarka and Diu on the night of November 6. This would heavy rains till the next day there. According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) Director Jayanta Sarkar, “Severe cyclonic storm Maha lay centred at 580 kilometres southwest of Diu and 550 km southwest of Veraval. It is most likely to intensify into a very severe cyclonic storm and make landfall between Dwarka and Diu on Wednesday night or early Thursday morning with wind speeds of 120 kilometres per hour.”
ECSC MAHA over Arabian Sea about 640 km west-southwest of Porbandar at 1430IST of 5th, to weaken and cross Gujarat coast around morning hours of 7th November. Depression over BoB about 270 km WNW of Maya Bandar, to intensify gradually. pic.twitter.com/ffOP3163hM
— India Met. Dept. (@Indiametdept) November 5, 2019
He further added, “The storm will cause heavy to very heavy rains in Saurashtra [the region of which Rajkot is a part] and south Gujarat on November 6-7. It is moving towards Oman but will recurve towards Gujarat coast on Monday.”
This might result in the second fixture abandoned without even a ball being bowled. If this happens Bangladesh will take an unassailable 1-0 series lead in the three-match T20I series. There will not be any chance for the hosts to make a comeback and they will have to win the final and third match in Nagpur on November 10 to level the series.
Jaydev Shah, a former Saurashtra team captain and present Head of the Saurashtra Cricket Association assured that all precautions have been taken ahead of the game – “We have covered the ground to make sure the match can start on time in case the rain does disrupt.”
He was confident of the match taking place and conveyed that the weather has been decent so far.