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Bengaluru Cricket Shake-Up: Why Vijay Hazare Trophy Was Moved From Chinnaswamy

In a sudden move, all Vijay Hazare Trophy matches scheduled for Bengaluru's iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium have been shifted. This decision came after the Karnataka government cited security issues and refused permission for the games. A special committee inspected the stadium and found it lacking in necessary safety and emergency preparedness measures. Consequently, the matches will now be played behind closed doors at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.

Key Points: Vijay Hazare Trophy Matches Moved From Chinnaswamy to BCCI CoE

  • Karnataka government denied permission citing serious safety and crowd-control concerns at Chinnaswamy Stadium
  • A multi-department committee found critical gaps in venue infrastructure and emergency preparedness
  • All matches will be held without spectators at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Aerospace Park
  • Teams like Delhi and Andhra Pradesh were notified and will train at the new venue
2 min read

All Vijay Hazare Trophy matches in Bengaluru moved from Chinnaswamy to BCCI CoE

All Vijay Hazare Trophy matches in Bengaluru relocated to BCCI Centre of Excellence due to security and safety concerns raised by Karnataka government officials.

"As per the report from the officers, permission has not been granted for the match on Wednesday at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. - Commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh"

New Delhi, Dec 23

All Vijay Hazare Trophy matches that were set to take place at Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium have been relocated to the BCCI Centre of Excellence, due to a directive from the Karnataka government citing security issues.

"All Vijay Hazare Trophy matches scheduled to be held at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will now happen at the BCCI CoE. It’s a decision which was taken earlier in the day due to security reasons, as said by the state government," a DDCA official told IANS on Tuesday.

The official further said that both participating teams for the opening game had been notified, and their pre-match training session is now set to take place at the BCCI CoE. "The Delhi team has been told about it and their pre-match practice against Andhra will now happen at CoE," the official added.

Meanwhile, all the Vijay Hazare matches in Bengaluru will be held without spectators. The Bengaluru police have assured a strong security presence around the Aerospace Park, where CoE is located.

Karnataka Police have refused permission for the Vijay Hazare Trophy match between Delhi and Andhra Pradesh at Chinnaswamy Stadium, citing serious safety and crowd-control concerns.

The decision was taken after a thorough inspection by Bengaluru Police Commissioner Seemant Kumar, officials from the Greater Bengaluru Authority, and the Fire Department, who identified critical gaps in venue infrastructure and emergency preparedness.

On Monday, a committee constituted by the Karnataka government, comprising officials from the police, public works and fire safety departments, inspected the Chinnaswamy Stadium and submitted a report.

The Bengaluru City Police Commissioner had already issued a 17-point advisory outlining mandatory safety measures. The committee verified whether these points had been complied with and submitted its findings to the government.

"The committee had gone to the stadium on Monday, on the instructions of the Home Department. Officers from various departments, including fire, Bengaluru Electricity Supply Company (Bescom), Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) and police, had inspected the stadium. As per the report from the officers, permission has not been granted for the match on Wednesday at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The committee has also given a detailed report," Commissioner Singh stated.

The KSCA had earlier expressed confidence in staging matches featuring Kohli and Pant at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

- IANS

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Reader Comments

S
Sarah B
As someone who was planning to attend, this is a huge letdown. The Chinnaswamy atmosphere is electric. I understand security is important, but these inspections should have happened weeks ago, not days before the match. Poor planning.
A
Arjun K
Typical last-minute chaos. KSCA was so confident about hosting, but the government committee finds issues. This is why we struggle to host smooth sporting events. At least the matches are happening, even if behind closed doors.
P
Priyanka N
The real loss is for domestic cricket fans. Vijay Hazare Trophy is where future stars are born. No spectators means less buzz and support for these players. Hope BCCI streams the matches properly from the CoE.
V
Vikram M
Respectfully, I think this is an overreaction. Chinnaswamy has hosted countless matches safely. A 17-point advisory sounds more like bureaucratic hurdles than genuine safety concerns. The players must be frustrated with the venue change so close to the game.
K
Karthik V
The mention of matches featuring Kohli and Pant is key. Maybe the security assessment was extra strict because of high-profile players? Still, the CoE is a fantastic backup. The show must go on!

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