ICC Cricket World Cup: Australia to face South Africa in league stage match in Lucknow

ICC Cricket World Cup today, Australia will take on South Africa in their second match at the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.

Australia has never played at Ekana Stadium, which was built six years ago. The South Africans played an ODI here against India last year.

Australia had lost its first match in the tournament by six wickets to India.

While, South Africa broke a host of records on their way to an impressive 102-run triumph over Sri Lanka in their first appearance at the event. 

The battle between Australia's fast bowlers and South Africa's top-order will be pivotal to the outcome of the match.

Both teams will be hoping to gain the upper hand with a strong performance in this area of the game.

Earlier, India beat Afghanistan by eight wickets at Arun Jaitley Stadium in New Delhi last evening.

Chasing a total of 272 runs, India achieved the target in 35 overs. Skipper Rohit Sharma scored the fastest century by an Indian batsman in Cricket World Cup history in just 63 deliveries, breaking the record belonging to Kapil Dev who slammed a 72-ball century against Zimbabwe in a 1983 World Cup.

Rohit Sharma also surpassed the record of Sachin Tendulkar, completing 7 centuries in the ICC World Cup which puts him at the top of the list.

He also went ahead of West Indies' Chris Gayle to became the batsman with the most number of sixes in international cricket across all formats of Cricket.

Rohit slammed three massive sixes to take his tally to 554 and in the process, went past the mammoth tally of Gayle - 553 in Tests, ODIs, and T20Is combined.

Akashvani Correspondent reports that the match will start around 2 pm afternoon. Tight security arrangements have been made for the match. 

ATS commandos have been deployed at the two hotels where the teams are staying, while two special teams of police and traffic will be stationed to ferry players to stadium and again bring them back after the match.

Joint commissioner of police, law and order, Upendra Agarwal informed that the entry in the stadium will be allowed from 11am, nearly three hours before the match time of 2pm, and till 8.30pm. 

While no entry will be allowed after 8.30pm, no re-entry will be entertained if a person leaves the stadium. 

He further said that security personnel of VIPs will not be allowed entry in the Ekana stadium.

Joint commissioner of police said that it is mandatory for the visitors to carry along the hard copy of tickets and passes for entry inside the stadium premises.

While free-of-cost drinking water will be provided by the stadium staff, there will be a strict ban on taking along water bottles, lighters, cans, crackers, any type of arms, iron material or any other inflammable items.