Telangana crisis puts India-Sri Lanka Vizag ODI in jeopardy

NEW DELHI: The political crisis in Andhra Pradesh over the Telangana issue has hit cricket as well and the BCCI is planning to shift the second India-Sri Lanka 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.