Indian players receive warm welcome in Thiruvananthapuram ahead of first T20I against South Africa

India are all set to cross swords with South Africa in the forthcoming three-match T20I series at home and the first fixture will be played in Thiruvananthapuram.

It is almost after a span of three years that international cricket is returning to the land of Kerala as the match is scheduled to be played at the Greenfield International Stadium. The stadium in Kerala has hosted two T20Is and one ODI so far.

The Men in Blue received a rousing reception by a passionate group of fans as they landed in Kerala ahead of the first T20I on Wednesday, September 28. India look fairly confident after winning 2-1 against Australia in a three-match T20I series.

Team India received warmly by fans in Kerala

A large number of fans in Thiruvananthapuram gathered near the team hotel to welcome the squad. In a video shared by BCCI, the team can be seen getting a heartwarming welcome.

The grand welcome by the fans left the Indian players pleasantly surprised. However, India are moving into the South Africa series on the back of a series win against Australia at home, the Proteas are going to pose a massive challenge in front of them. 

The Men in Blue will look to build on the momentum and maintain consistency before the upcoming T20 World Cup that kicks off next month in Australia. The South African side had arrived early and held practice sessions on Monday, September 26 while India began with their practice a day later.

The series will be crucial for both the sides as they look to fill in the gaps during the course in order to get a balanced playing XI for the World Cup. Undoubtedly, the series will act as a good warm up for the T20 World Cup and both teams look prepared for the challenge.