IPL Fan Park screening begins in Manarcad following venue switch

The much-anticipated IPL Fan Park screening officially began at the St Mary’s Church ground in Manarcad, Kottayam, on Saturday, offering cricket fans across the district a chance to experience Indian Premier League (IPL) action on the big screen.

The event, spread across April 18 and 19, is organised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India as part of its nationwide Phase 2 Fan Park initiative. Although the venue was originally planned for Puthuppally, it was later shifted to Manarcad, which offers better facilities. However, it has retained the branding of “IPL Fan Park Puthuppally.”

Interestingly, the four matches scheduled to be screened feature Malayali cricketers Sanju Samson, Vignesh Puthur, and Vishnu Vinod.

Sanju’s Chennai Super Kings are up against Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday evening. On Sunday, Rajasthan Royals, which includes spinner Vignesh Puthur in their squad, face Kolkata Knight Riders at 3.30 pm, while Punjab Kings, which have another Malayali player, Vishnu Vinod, in their lineup, will take on Lucknow Super Giants from 7.30 pm.

The venue features a huge 32 × 18-foot LED screen and two additional sponsor screens for the live screening of IPL matches. Moreover, according to the IPL website, Fan Parks also host engaging on-ground experiences such as music, entertainment, food courts, kids’ play zones, and interactive activities including virtual batting zones, bowling nets, face painting, and fan-favourite games such as Pitch Perfect (a game of balance), Game of Throws (a test of aim), and Don’t Miss the Ball (a fast-paced reflex challenge).