Mohali Lights Up: India–South Africa T20 Sparks Celebration as Stadium Honours Yuvraj & Harmanpreet

The New Chandigarh Cricket Stadium in Mohali turned into a vibrant hub of cricket and celebration on Tuesday evening, as India and South Africa prepared to clash in the second T20 international. India’s stand-in captain Suryakumar Yadav won the toss and opted to bowl first, setting the tone for an action-packed encounter under the lights.

Crowds began filling the stands hours ahead of the match, with a visible buzz around young stars Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill.

Despite the absence of seasoned favourites Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli from the T20 squad, fans of both senior players turned up in large numbers, carrying posters and jerseys to show continued support.

The stadium witnessed emotional moments as well. A dedicated supporter of Suryakumar Yadav flew in from Mumbai with his match expenses covered personally by the Indian captain. A family from Srinagar also arrived to cheer Team India, reflecting the nationwide enthusiasm around the series.

Before the match, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann inaugurated stadium stands named after two of India’s most celebrated cricketers, 2011 World Cup hero Yuvraj Singh and 2025 Women’s World Cup-winning captain Harmanpreet Kaur. The gesture marked a significant milestone for women’s cricket in the state.

Harmanpreet Kaur, along with teammates Amanjot Kaur and Harleen Deol, received special recognition from the Punjab government for their contributions to Indian cricket. This marks the first time in Punjab that a stadium stand has been named after a woman cricketer.

Nationally, Harmanpreet becomes only the second Indian woman to receive such an honour after Mithali Raj, whose name was given to a stand in Visakhapatnam during the 2025 Women’s World Cup. She is also the first woman from North India to be accorded this distinction.

The Punjab Cricket Association has a history of honouring sporting legends. In 2022, it dedicated a terrace at the IS Bindra Stadium to Yuvraj Singh. The North Pavilion was later named after him, while the South Pavilion was named after Harbhajan Singh.

At the new stadium, a Harbhajan Singh Stand already exists, and now Yuvraj’s name joins the honour roll with a stand that will be formally unveiled on December 11.

As the pre-match ceremonies concluded, the spotlight shifted back to the field, but the recognition of cricketing icons added a special emotional dimension to an already high-stakes T20 fixture.