Nagpur: The high-stakes India vs. England ODI at the Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium on February 6 witnessed intense on-field action, but behind the scenes, two serious security breaches left VCA officials on edge. While the audience remained engrossed in the match, officials had their hands full addressing lapses that have now put VCA under scrutiny. In one instance, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has even sought an explanation from the association, sources said.
Close Shave: unauthorized car near players’ bus
Gold Rate
Saturday08 Feb. 2025
Sources revealed that as the team bus left for the stadium, everything seemed smooth initially, with a full police escort clearing the way. However, excitement among fans led to a major security lapse– an unauthorized car managed to get alarmingly close to the players’ bus.
The situation raised serious concerns as the vehicle moved parallel to the bus, despite the police escort meant to prevent such incidents. The car’s occupants not only got too close but also hooted and gestured at players, attempting to grab their attention. Even star cricketer Virat Kohli, seated at the front, was visibly surprised at how such a breach occurred. Bystanders watching the incident were equally stunned at the lack of immediate intervention from security personnel.
Security chief caught taking selfies, removed from ground
In another shocking incident, the head of the private security agency in charge of match security was caught indulging in selfie fever. Sources revealed that the security chief, identified as Khan, abandoned his duties and reached right in front of the side screen — a highly sensitive area during live international matches — to click photos.
His careless act distracted the batsman, leading to a brief halt in the game. In international cricket, even a one-second disruption is enough to damage a venue’s reputation, making the incident a significant embarrassment. Upon realizing the blunder, VCA officials swiftly escorted him out of the ground and distanced themselves from the security lapse.
However, experts believe that merely removing him from the venue was not enough and that strict action should have been taken against the agency responsible. Meanwhile, efforts to suppress details of these security failures are reportedly underway, but the lapses have raised serious questions about match security protocols at VCA.
