India-Australia T20 shifted from Bengaluru to Visakhapatnam

Cricket fans in the city might have to rejig their plans a bit in the month end as there’s a Visakhapatnam will hosting the India Australia T20 on a new date now. As per the latest developments, the opener of the T20I series between India and Australia this month has been shifted from Bengaluru to Visakhapatnam.

As per the initial schedule, the first T20I between the two teams was slated to be played at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru while the second one was scheduled in Visakhapatnam. Reportedly, with the authorities expressing concerns over the security to be arranged in Bengaluru, the match venues have now been swapped. The new schedule now assigns the first match to Visakhapatnam on 24 February and the second T20I to Bengaluru on 27 February.

It may be noted that Bengaluru will play host the Aero India Show and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit on 24 February.

“As you are aware, we are to host the First T-20 match between India and Australia this year, in India, scheduled on Sunday, 24th February 2019 at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. However, as I mentioned to you there has been an adverse development that the Police Commissioner in Bangalore is unable to guarantee the required security support, police bandobast etc.

In view of the above, we would request you to kindly consider swapping our T-20 match with yours i.e. you would host the First T-20 match on Sunday, 24th February, 2019 in Vizag and we would host the Second T-20 match on Wednesday, 27th February 2019 in Bangalore,” a mail, as reported by Hindustan Times, from KSCA to ACA read.

Earlier, it was reported

Following the T20I series, the two teams will battle it out in a 5-match ODI series to be played in Hyderabad, Nagpur, Ranchi, Mohali, and Delhi. The Australians are expected to arrive in India on 18 February.