Gwalior (Madhya Pradesh): The players of the India and Bangladesh cricket teams arrived at the Gwalior Airport on Wednesday ahead of the T-20 match scheduled for October 6.
The players were accompanied by the CISF team amid threats by Hindu Mahasabha. The Hindu outfit was demanding match cancellation, citing violence against Hindus in neighbouring Bangladesh.
The visuals show the first batch of the team—Jitesh Sharma, Ravi Bishnoi, Mayank Yadav, Abhishek Sharma, and Riyan Parag—heading out of the Rajmata Vijayaraje Scindia Airport. They were escorted to Hotel Usha Kiran Palace under tight police security.
Hours after the first batch of Indian teams arrived, the squad of Bangladesh Cricket too reached. The team was escorted by a police squad, and security has been tightened even more. The squad for the match against India consists of very experienced players such as Litton Das, Mustafizur Rahman, Rakibul Hasan, and Najmul Hossain Shanto, who is the team captain.
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Gwalior is set to host the first T20 match of the three-match series between India and Bangladesh on October 6 at the newly built Shri Madhavrao Scindia International Cricket Stadium. This will be the first international cricket match held in the city’s new stadium, generating immense excitement among local cricket fans.
A video shows the players leaving Gwalior airport under tight security. In the light of recent events in Bangladesh, Hindu Mahasabha's Gwalior faction has threatened to protest carrying black flags on the day. Following which, the security has been tightened in the key areas and force has been increased.
Gwalior has been turned into a high-security zone. Both teams will travel between the airport, hotel, and stadium under strict security arrangements. Given protests from Hindu Mahasabha and other Hindu organizations regarding the match, the stadium in Shankarpur has been secured with triple-layer security. A comprehensive security plan, developed by the BCCI, MPCA, and local authorities, includes over 1,500 personnel stationed across six different zones.
The enthusiasm for the match is palpable, with all 22,400 online tickets sold out within just six hours on September 20. Special provisions have been made for 1,500 students and 100 differently-abled individuals. Additionally, 6,000 tickets have been reserved for VIPs, with police keeping a close watch on potential ticket scalping.