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The KSCA has been denied permission to host Vijay Hazare Trophy matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru by the state government and police due to safety and security concerns, forcing the games to be moved to the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) on the outskirts of the city.The tournament opener between Delhi and Andhra, which is expected to feature Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant, will be played behind closed doors – without spectators – at the CoE. The KSCA was informed of the development on Tuesday by Karnataka’s home ministry, after which both teams were told ahead of their training session.The Chinnaswamy Stadium has not hosted any matches since eleven people died in a stampede outside the venue during RCB’s IPL victory celebrations on June 4. Following that tragedy, a report compiled by Justice John Michael D’Cunha termed the venue “highly unsafe” for large gatherings and recommended that the KSCA comply with several directives to make the Chinnaswamy Stadium suitable for spectators.Related

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Since Venkatesh Prasad took over as KSCA president earlier this month, there has been frenetic activity around the Chinnaswamy Stadium, and several meetings have been held with government officials about the possibility of top-flight cricket, including the IPL, being played at the venue. While the KSCA accepted the government’s decision on permissions, it is hopeful that the situation will change in the near future.”KSCA understands that the decision on permission is linked to the implementation of the recommendations of the Justice Cunha Committee,” the KSCA said in a statement on Tuesday. “It has come to the attention of the present administration that earlier communications from the police Department since August 2025, concerning implementation of the Justice Cunha Committee recommendations, did not receive the desired level of follow-up from the previous managing committee. In contrast, the newly elected managing committee of KSCA, under the leadership of former international cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, which assumed office on 8 December 2025, has been proactive and responsive, engaging swiftly with all concerned government departments and statutory authorities within a short span of less than two weeks.”The present committee has actively reached out to seek guidance, inputs, and approvals required for the conduct of matches and has initiated all necessary steps to align KSCA’ s actions with the expectations of the authorities … The association looks forward to receiving the detailed inputs, observations, and recommendations from the authorities forming part of the review committee and assures that all such recommendations will be implemented in a structured and time-bound manner.”KSCA remains fully committed to implementing all practicable safety, security, and infrastructure-related measures at the earliest. With this proactive approach and full compliance with the recommended measures, KSCA is confident that the necessary permissions for conducting Vijay Hazare Trophy matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium will be granted in the near future.”The KSCA had earlier moved the Vijay Hazare Trophy matches involving Kohli and Pant from Alur to the Chinnaswamy Stadium due to logistical and security challenges. The association was also hopeful that it would be able to open two stands, which could have seated 2000-3000 spectators.On Monday, a committee constituted by the Karnataka government comprising officials from police, public works and fire safety department inspected the Chinnaswamy Stadium and submitted a report, after which the directive was issued to move the games away from the venue.

Inzamam has to ensure that emotions don’t come in the way of Pakistan’s quest to save the series © AFP

An unusual Test awaits Lahore. To begin with, South Africa are in aposition to win a Test series against a major subcontinent side, somethingthat hasn’t been the case since 2000. The home side, meanwhile have just one game to square the series and save face.South Africa were frighteningly efficient in Karachi as expected, but not, as theyhave often been derided, without some blood, sweat and things that make asoul. Even Jacques Kallis played an innings you could while away anafternoon to. Paul Harris’s left-arm and Dale Steyn’s right producedsurely one of South Africa’s most stirring moments in recent Test cricket:a quality spinner at one end and a tearaway at the other. By happycircumstance, neither is the multi-dimensional droid South Africa isrenowned for.So understandably, captain Graeme Smith can afford to smile, even over a fewniggles. Speaking on the eve of the match, Smith said, “Ashwell [Prince] has a stomach problem and [Andre] Nel has a groin problem, but everyone will hopefully come up for selection.”They will because, as Smith points out, much is at stake. South Africahave won nine out of 25 Tests in this region since readmission, but aseven-year itch does strange things. “We have come here to win Tests. Awin in the subcontinent is extra special because we’ve only had a fewsince readmission. We’ve given ourselves a great chance of winning aseries here and it’s something we are hungry to achieve.”The plans will be much the same. Runs from the top order and a solidbase to build on; then repel Pakistan’s spin, which they did soimposingly last week. “We play spinners very well and score runs againstthem now at will,” Smith said. The rest of it they will leave to confidence. “We haveto play positive cricket. Even if we do have a change, it will be a bowlerfor a bowler and no extra bat.”But Lahore will also be unusual because it is the ‘Inzamam Test.’ The Gadaffi Stadium may have the opportunity to bid farewell to possibly the greatest batsman to have lumbered across this soil. Smith reckons Inzamam’s farewell might be a distraction to Pakistan. But the point he chose not to highlight, one his counterpart Shoaib Malik was keen to highlight, was that it brings to the middle, where it matters, beef. The return of Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf reunites, for the last time, possibly the best middle-order Pakistan has had in recent times.”We are determined to win this Test,” Malik said. “Inzamam’s return willnot be a distraction. Along with Yousuf, it will bolster our middle-order.We are all professionals and we know what we need to do. The morale is highand just having Inzamam around, my confidence has gone up. He is anencouragement, not a distraction.”

Tomorrow is the beginning of the end of a special age for Pakistan, thelast link to a World Cup win and the 90s, which were both the best oftimes and the worst

Malik is not the first Pakistan captain, nor will he be the last, to ruethe consequences of poor fielding. Who knows how Karachi would’ve endedhad Kallis or Hashim Amla been dismissed when they were kind enough tooffer chances, but those chances mean that Malik remains one of the fewrecent captains to invest so much in spin. “We have other options but thisattack can get 20 wickets. In Karachi, we would’ve had 20 had we held onto our chances.”The pitch might force his hand for unusually, it has a bit of bounce.There was grass on it, but Smith smirked as it had already been shaved twice.”There is certainly a little bit of bounce and what grass there is willprobably become brown,” Smith said. “We can exploit that.”What he might also exploit, worryingly, is the pressure on Malik. Only inhis second Test and already presiding over a testy press conference, hechided the media for being the media and snapped back at severalquestions. Also unusual, for personally he had a good Test in Karachi andis, to most appearances, amiable, gentle and cool-headed.He could do worse than to look at Smith, also a young player thrust intothe captaincy at a time of change. He too has had his problems but standsnow on the edge of a special win. “It has taken three years to build ateam and provide options where I can now challenge myself as a captain,” Smith said. “Slowly we have started to get an environment from where you can challengeother teams in the world.”Tomorrow is the beginning of the end of a special age for Pakistan, thelast link to a World Cup win and the 90s, which were both the best oftimes and the worst. Malik will duly acknowledge it, but what better wayto plot another age than with a win?TeamsSouth Africa – Graeme Smith (capt), Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Hashim Amla, Ashwell Prince, AB de Villiers, Mark Boucher, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Dale Steyn, Paul HarrisPakistan – Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal (wk), Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Misbah-ul-Haq, Shoaib Malik (capt), Abdur Rehman, UmarGul, Danish Kaneria, Mohammad Asif

Blaster turns grafter: Mohammad Hafeez evokes the tone of the day © Getty Images

Test cricket went back in time on the third day of the final Test betweenPakistan and the West Indies at the National Stadium. Rain overnight andcloud cover for most of the afternoon meant play stopped 15 overs short,though to many that might have been a relief given that only 199 runs hadbeen scored in the 75 available.Mohammad Hafeez, a raucous Twenty20 opener for Faisalabad when not openingfor Pakistan, put together a studious fifty, his fourth in Tests. It was,from just over three-and-a-half hours, his slowest, and the improvisedstrokes so readily seen in his limited-overs performances were all butabsent here, replaced by stodgy defense and plenty of streaky edgesthrough third man.”You have to really graft on this pitch,” Hafeez told reporters at the endof the day. “It is difficult but to be a good player you have to be ableto do it on all types of wickets. On the first day there was a lot ofvariation in the bounce but that is not there now. It still isn’t easyespecially for playing shots on.”Along with Imran Farhat, the start was particularly tortuous. Farhat tookhis first run off his 18th ball, there were only two boundaries in thefirst 15 overs and after 24 overs, they had eked out only 45. In part,the West Indian bowling attack can be blamed for this, as Hafeezacknowledged. “They bowled superbly to us at the beginning, especially(Corey) Collymore who was very difficult to play. The idea was to see off the newball. We would take our time but set ourselves.”The caution may also have arisen from circumstance, especially in Hafeez’scase. A fifty in the very first innings of this series should have led tobigger, brighter things but pretty starts were frittered. Bowledbetween bat and pad twice has also raised concerns about his technique andfootwork; another failure here would have put severe pressure on hisposition in the side.”The wickets in this series have had low bounce. There are very fewpitches like this at domestic level where the balls come on higher, fasterand seam more. Adjusting to low bounce wickets has been the difficultthing to do.”When I made my comeback in England, the captain and coach really gave melots of confidence. In this series I know I haven’t made big scores butthey are still backing me and that support has helped,” he added.He wasn’t the only batsman to make an important fifty today. Earlier inthe morning, Denesh Ramdin had to take over the West Indian cause afterthe dismissal of Daren Ganga in the day’s fifth over. Like Hafeez it washis fourth in Tests, though an altogether punchier affair. And for gettinghis side within 44 runs of Pakistan’s first innings total, it was a timelyinnings.”After Ganga fell I had to take things up on my own and try to buildpartnerships with the tail. We wanted to get as close as possible to thePakistan score,” Ramdin said.He had struggled initially against the spin of Danish Kaneria, edging thelegspinner through Kamran Akmal’s legs for four early. But once the newball was taken, he unveiled a surprisingly wide array of strokes. “Thepitch is playing better now and there is something in it for bowlers andbatsmen. There was a bit more bounce today. But I take this as one of mybest fifties. I needed to show character and had to bat with the lowerorder as well, which we have done.”Pakistan ended the day 174 runs ahead with eight wickets in hand. Thepitch hasn’t deteriorated as many thought it might, to the extent thatHafeez suggested only a target of 350-plus would be a safe one. MohammadYousuf is at the crease, record in sight, stunning form behind him andwith Hafeez keen to continue to a second Test hundred, setting such atarget is not as far-fetched as it might have appeared on the first two days.

Garnett Kruger of the Lions and Zander de Bruyn from the Titans have been suspended for one Supersport match after being found guilty of breaching the United Cricket Board’s (UCBSA) code of conduct.Kruger was found guilty of conduct that brought the game into disrepute during the SuperSport match between the Lions and Cape Cobras at Johannesburg between November 10 and 13. de Bruyn was charged with two offences; dissent at an umpiring decision and of unruly behaviour, but was found guilty of just the second offence. de Bruyn’s were committed during the match between the Dolphins and the Titans at Durban.Meanhwile, Mpho Sekhoto and Gerhard de Bruin, both from Gauteng, were also found guilty of breaching the code of conduct in seperate incidents during the same SAA Provincial Challenge game and have each been suspended for one three-day challenge match. Sekhoto was found guilty of conduct which could bring them, the UBCSA or the game of cricket into disrepute and de Bruin of dissent towards an umpiring decision.

At least half a dozen of England’s travelling fans were caught up in a scare en route from Johannesburg to Port Elizabeth, when their train was derailed near the town of Westley in the Free State. Seven coaches were involved in the accident, which occurred at 5pm on Tuesday evening, and though police confirmed that there had been no fatalities, up to 15 people were taken to hospital with injuries.The fans, members of the Barmy Army’s hardcore following, had been at Potchefstroom to cheer England through their defeat against South Africa A. They had been due to meet up with several hundred fellow fans that evening, but were instead ferried down to Port Elizabeth by bus from the town of Vereeniging, along with 400 other commuters.Spoornet, the South African rail authorities, said that the cause of the accident hadn’t been confirmed, although it would be the subject of a detailed investigation. "The scene looked severe," said a spokesman, "but no-one has died in the incident. An internal investigation is being launched to determine the cause."It is not the first stroke of ill fortune to befall England’s supporters this winter, and the tour has yet to get underway in earnest. Last week, the holiday plans of several hundred fans bound for Port Elizabeth were thrown into disarray, following the collapse of the budget airline, CivAir, which had been due to ferry them direct from Stansted Airport in London.

Victoria 215 for 3 in 47 overs (Elliott 89, Hodge 50*) beat Queensland 212 for 7 in 50 overs (Payne 52) by 7 wickets
Scorecard
Matthew Elliott, the former Australian Test opener, top-scored with 89 to steer Victoria to a seven-wicket victory over Queensland in the ING Cup one-dayer at the MCG today. Victoria reached 215 for 3 in 47 overs chasing Queensland’s 212 for 7.Elliott blew a chance for his third century in four matches against the Bulls this season when he was stumped, going down the track to a wide from part-time spinner Stuart Law and being stranded well out of his ground.Victoria were guided home by Brad Hodge, unbeaten on 50, and David Hussey, who collected the winning boundary. Victoria moved to joint-second on the ING Cup table after three games, level with New South Wales on eight points and one point behind Western Australia.Victoria set up this win with a disciplined fielding effort, strangling the run-rate after the Queensland Bullls had started with a flourish. Queensland were scoring at five an over until the 12th over, but from there the batsmen lost their way. They did not score a boundary for 86 balls, between the 34th and 47th ovesr. Daniel Payne top-scored from the top of the order with 52, while Clint Perren made an unbeaten 35 (with no boundaries) and Martin Love 34.Law, the other opener, hit three successive fours in his 24 off 26 balls, and Damien MacKenzie made an unbeaten 23 from 19 balls, including two fours and a six. Mick Lewis took 2 for 33 from 10 overs, while Jon Moss (1 for 33) and Cameron White (0 for 32) also sent down miserly 10-over spells.Moss then made 47 from 70 balls in an opening stand of 102 with Elliott as Victoria looked set to earn the bonus point for reaching the target inside 40 overs. But the rate stalled by the time MacKenzie bowled Moss in the 24th over, although Victoria never looked like blowing the win. The offspinner Chris Simpson was the pick of the Queensland attack, with 0 for 31 from his 10 overs.

Karachi Whites secured a narrow 16-run first innings lead against Gujranwala as the Quaid-i-Azam Trophy match at the National Stadium headed for an exciting finish.Karachi Whites, resuming at the overnight score of 241 for seven, were dismissed for 263 in the first 45 minutes of play Monday. The home team then fought its way back in the match by dismissing the visitors for 247 after they had reached 171 for four.When stumps were drawn for the day, Karachi Whites had stretched their lead to 59 when they finished the day at 43 for one. Ariz Kamal, who scored a debut century last week, was the batsman out after scoring one following his six in the first innings.Arif Mahmood, the left-arm spinner, was the man behind bringing Karachi back in contention when he captured four wickets for 28 runs to break Gujranwala’s back.Owais Athar, playing his first game, picked up three wickets but went for 84 runs from his 14 overs. He was erratic, wayward and bowled too many loose deliveries. Tanvir Ahmed snapped up two for 69 to take his tally of wickets to 22.For Gujranwala, former Pakistan junior batsman Majid Saeed top scored with a 77-ball 63 that included 11 hits to the fence.Earlier in the day, Mohammad Masroor missed a well deserved century when he could add only five runs to his overnight score. He fell for 94 to Naveed Arif who finished as the most successful Gujranwala bowler with four for 67. Mubashir Nazir snapped up three for 79.

A superb century from Matt Hayden, and another productive afternoon for spinner Ashley Giles, were the highlights of a see-sawing day’s County Championship cricket between Northamptonshire and Warwickshire at Edgbaston today.Australian import Hayden was at his rugged and authoritative best in an innings of 122 that contained as many as fourteen boundaries and four thumping sixes. In Hampshire colours three years ago, the powerfully built Queenslander plundered a double century and century against Warwickshire and he used the presence of a short boundary on the Pershore Road side of the ground to afford the same opposition another painful look at his talents today. In a hand that hinted strongly at both the range of his strokeplay and his vast reserves of concentration, he was the steadying influence around whom his team built to a total of 296/7 by stumps.For Warwickshire, the prospect that a sound performance here could pave theway for it to assume leadership in the Division Two standings seemed tofaze its front-line attack initially. With the omitted Ed Giddins lookingon in forlorn fashion from the pavilion, new ball bowlers Allan Donald(1/38) and Alan Richardson (0/35) were both badly off target early and itwas not until Giles (4/116) entered proceedings shortly before lunch thatthe attack began to genuinely assert itself. Without any great support,the left arm orthodox spinner worked his way steadily through the defencesof Adrian Rollins (19), Mal Loye (2), David Sales (19) and Jeffrey Cook(27) before a completely unnecessary run out and, later, a surprisinglymisdirected Hayden off drive further tilted matters in the home side’sdirection. All four of Giles’ victims were taken at slip.At that stage, a score of 240/6 raised visions of a relatively swift end tothe innings. Moreover, it did not seem to reflect as much credit on thevisitors’ ardour for runs that it might otherwise have done; accordingly,Warwickshire appeared poised to place itself in precisely the sort ofstrong early position that their leadership ambitions demanded.Thankfully for the sake of the match’s future, and as fitting reward for the earlier application of his teammates, the resourceful Graeme Swann (58) thenavailed himself of the opportunity to turn the tide once more and signalthat Northants is not generally in the business of granting such favourswithout a fight.

Time is against Aaron Ramsey as he looks to make an impact at Rangers, journalist Chris Jack has warned.

The lowdown

The Wales midfielder is on loan from Serie A giants Juventus until the end of the season, having sealed a move on transfer deadline day in January.

Rangers’ former high-performance director Adam Owen heralded the signing as the club’s biggest since Paul Gascoigne in 1995, but just over a month into his stay at Ibrox, Ramsey has only played 94 minutes of football.

His only start has come against League Two side Annan Athletic in the Scottish Cup, and he has missed out on the last three matchday squads with what has been described as a knock.

The latest

Speaking to GiveMeSport, Jack – a senior Rangers writer for The Herald and The Glasgow Times – expressed concern that Ramsey would not live up to expectations at Ibrox.

The journalist stated: “It’s safe to say he’s not impressed enough so far, and you look at how the season is shaping up, time is not on his side. There aren’t that many games left to get up to speed.”

The verdict

Is there still enough time for Ramsey to make an impact with the Light Blues? There are still 10 league games remaining, with Rangers and Celtic battling for the Premiership title.

In addition, Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side have reached the quarter-finals of the Scottish Cup and will bid to make it to the same stage of the Europa League by downing Red Star Belgrade over two legs later this month.

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The Gers are still fighting on three fronts, and if Ramsey can overcome his current knock, he can still play a part towards any possible success this season. However, based on his injury history, the concern is that he breaks down again within weeks of returning, but that was the chance the club took when they made their move for the £4.5m-rated Welshman.

In other news, Jordan Campbell criticised this recent decision from Van Bronckhorst 

Hasan Mohsin starred with bat and ball as Pakistan Under-19s defended 212 to beat Sri Lanka Under-19s by 23 runs and finish top of Group B. Pakistan will take on West Indies in the quarter-finals while Sri Lanka will meet England.Sent in to bat, Pakistan made slow progress at first, and their run rate was still below four an over when Wanidu Hasaranga dismissed Salman Fayyaz (33) in the 41st over to end his 61-run stand with Mohsin. Wickets fell steadily at the other end, with none of bottom five getting into double figures, but Mohsin ensured he dragged Pakistan to a competitive total, and was ninth out for a run-a-ball 86 with eight fours and a six. Pakistan were bowled out for 212 in the 49th over.Opening the bowling with his gentle seam-up, Mohsin then gave Pakistan two early breakthroughs, dismissing both Sri Lankan openers. Sri Lanka slipped to 63 for 4 when the in-form pair of Charith Asalanka and Shammu Ashan got out to soft dismissals against the spinners, but Kamindu Mendis and Vishad Randika got the chase back on track with an 84-run stand for the fifth wicket. Just when Sri Lanka seemed to be cruising home, though, Mendis holed out to long-on for 68 (104b, 5×4), and Hasaranga and Randika (46 off 71) followed him soon after. Damitha Silva kept Sri Lanka in the hunt for a while with an unbeaten 21, but the lower order fell away around him, with legspinner Shadab Khan picking up the last two wickets to finish with figures of 3 for 31.