India-Sri Lanka ODI in Vizag is on: ACA

Amid rumours of cancellation of the India-Sri Lanka second one-dayer in Visakhapatnam, the Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) on Saturday said the match will be held as scheduled despite the Telangana crisis.

"The match is very much on. All arrangements are in place and we will start sale of tickets from Monday," ACA president Gokaraju Gangaraju told PTI from Vijayawada.

Gangaraju dispelled rumours that the match might get cancelled in view of the prevailing crisis over Telangana.

"We have spoken to the Joint Action Committee that is organising the protests and it has assured us that the match will not be disturbed," Gangaraju added.

Rumours started spreading that the second ODI would be cancelled after the scheduled sale of tickets for the India-Sri Lanka match was put on hold.

Asked if the match is doubtful because of the ongoing agitation, Visakhapatnam City Commissioner of Police, N Samba Siva Rao said the information available with him was that BCCI is for going ahead with the match.

Samba Siva Rao said he was keeping a watch on the current situation and said additional forces would be required for maintaining security around the stadium apart from controlling the protesters.

"If the tendency of protests continues further, we will definitely request for more security forces as conduct of an international event also requires deployment of more number of police force," the top cop said.

It was earlier reported that the political crisis in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue has hit cricket as well and the BCCI is planning to shift the second one-dayer in Visakhapatnam to another venue due to security concerns.

Sources in the BCCI say the sale of tickets for the December 18 match has been put on hold for the time being. 

"We are discussing the possibility of either shifting the match to another venue or cancel it altogether due to the ongoing political crisis. A decision will be taken soon," sources said. 

A fresh schedule for the five-match series, starting December 15 in Rajkot, would be issued in the next couple of days.

Andhra Pradesh has been on the boil ever since Home Minister P Chidambaram said that the process for the formation  of a separate state of Telangana would be initiated and a resolution would be moved in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly.

The Home Minister's announcement came after Telangana Rashtriya Samiti chief K Chandrasekhar Rao went on a fast unto death demanding the creation of Telangana. 

Chidambaram's announcement stoked a political furore in the state with even the ruling Congress party divided over the issue.