A Vijay Hazare Trophy match was held between Delhi and Andhra Pradesh in Bengaluru. Delhi won the match by four wickets. India's senior batter Virat Kohli, playing a key role, scored 131 runs off 101 balls, his innings studded with 14 fours and three sixes.
The match was not telecast live. The BCCI also kept the gates of the Centre of Excellence Ground 1 closed. In this manner, no fans were allowed inside the stadium. Several supporters were disappointed by this decision who had come to witness Kohli bat.
Some fans took the risk of watching from the trees at some distance. None could get a glimpse of Kohli’s batting. The Karnataka government had also banned the matches at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium due to security reasons. Hence, the Karnataka State Cricket Association shifted the match to the Centre of Excellence venue.
Virat Kohli batted in the absence of any crowd noise and applause. He got his century in a nearly silent environment. This was unusual for a player who normally draws large crowds.
Many fans have advocated that the BCCI should make sure the matches of leading players are live-telecast. As supporters argue, players like Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma develop wide interest and deserve broadcast coverage.
