All Vijay Hazare Trophy matches slated to take place in Bengaluru have been relocated from the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to the BCCI Centre of Excellence after the Karnataka government issued a directive citing security concerns. The shift also affects Wednesday’s opening match between Delhi and Andhra, which is set to feature high-profile players such as Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant.
A Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) official confirmed the development to Cricbuzz, stating that the association was informed by the state home ministry on Tuesday morning. Following the decision, both teams involved in the tournament opener were notified, and their pre-match practice has been rescheduled at the BCCI Centre of Excellence.
The move stems from ongoing safety and regulatory issues surrounding the Chinnaswamy Stadium. The venue has been under close examination since the tragic stampede during RCB’s title celebrations on June 4, which claimed 11 lives. The Justice John Michael D’Cunha report subsequently described the stadium as “highly unsafe” for large-scale events.
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Although the newly appointed KSCA administration led by Venkatesh Prasad has been working tirelessly to resolve these long-standing safety issues, a government-appointed committee that inspected the venue on Monday did not approve it for hosting any official matches.
As a result, all Vijay Hazare Trophy fixtures in Bengaluru will be played strictly behind closed doors, with the state government exercising caution amid the busy holiday season to avoid any law-and-order situations. The Bengaluru police have assured heightened security and strict monitoring around the Aerospace Park area, where the BCCI Centre of Excellence is located.
Notably, the venue had recently hosted the Duleep Trophy and India A matches under similar no-spectator arrangements.
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