The buzz around the Vijay Hazare Trophy has been unreal this time around, as superstar players Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma are set to feature in the tournament after 15 and 7 years respectively. However, fans in Bengaluru will be denied an opportunity to watch Kohli play at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium as the police have denied permission for the venue to host the matches.
Police commissioner Seemant Kumar Singh stated that the decision was taken based on the report submitted by the home department led by G Parameshwara. The match is now likely to be played at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence which was kept ready as a back-up venue.
With Kohli set to play, KSCA had earlier hinted at the possibility of opening two stands for the fans. This could’ve allowed around 2000 to 3000 fans to enter the stadium. However, the proposal was met with strong opposition from the government, especially after what happened earlier this year during RCB’s victory parade, which led to a stampede and 11 people losing their lives.
The state government wants to prevent chaos in and around the venue. Both Kohli and Rishabh Pant are set to play the first two matches of the Vijay Hazare Trophy and to prevent logistical challenges, the KSCA was forced to shift matches from Alur to Chinnaswamy Stadium.
