BCCI shifts 2nd ODI to Nagpur due to security reasons

The Indian Cricket Board today shifted the second one-dayer of the five-match series between India and Sri Lanka to Nagpur after police in Visakhapatnam expressed inability to provide security for the tie in the wake of political crisis in Andhra Pradesh.

Agitations are on in Andhra Pradesh over the issue of the formation of a separate Telangana state.

"The second ODI of the five-match series between India and Sri Lanka has been shifted to Nagpur. The match will be a day-night affair, and will be played on the scheduled date of 18 December 2009," BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement.

Early in the morning, Visakhapatnam Police Commissioner Sambhasiva Rao said that it will be difficult for them to provide the required security staff for the hosting of the match.

"The prevailing situation is such that all the city police are deployed in the maintenance of regular law and order. And to conduct the match in ordinary circumstances we need to deploy 80 percent of the city force

"We have mentioned it to organising locals here that it not possible for us to commit any amount of force for the conduct of the match at this stage," Rao told reporters in Visakhapatman.

Saurashtra Cricket Association which is hosting tomorrow's series-opener in Rajkot had also offered to host the match.