Floodlights come under scrutiny ahead of Kanpur's IPL debut

The floodlights at Green Park stadium in Kanpur have come under scrutiny just before its IPL debut. The issue is with the amount of illumination provided by the lights at the Kanpur stadium. Kanpur, the latest second-tier Indian city to be hosting the IPL, will host its adopted home team Gujarat Lions for their final two home games in this city.

The ideal degree of illumination for a day-night match is 2000 lux. The light produced by the four tall towers at Kanpur, each fitted with 84 illuminators, does not produce this amount. Reports vary as to how much light will be produced, but everyone agrees it will be interesting to see the effect of this on the match – especially on outfield fielders.

Indian Express quotes one of the players involved in the match to be saying, “The effect of the lights near the centre should be fine but if you are fielding at long-on or for that matter near any boundary the light might not be sufficient. It will be tough for fielders, especially when it comes to taking high catches.

The Green Park stadium was renovated two years ago to accommodate a VVIP box. Additional lights have now been fitted on the roof of the stands to remedy this problem, but the doubts remain.

However, ESPN Cricinfo and Times of India report that the shortage of light is not the problem, but that an excess of it will be. As a result of the additional lights, fielders can be blinded, as this fear goes.

Floodlights have not been the only source of problem in Kanpur’s quest of hosting the IPL. Accommodation issues have forced Mumbai Indians to stay at Lucknow and practise there till the KKR team departs. Landmark, the only hotel in the city IPL teams are going for, reportedly also had a confusion while booking rooms for Shah Rukh Khan, the KKR co-owner.