India vs Bangladesh 2nd Test to be relocated? Kanpur's concerns rise

The upcoming India vs Bangladesh 2nd Test in Kanpur has taken an unexpected turn as safety concerns loom large over one of the stands at the iconic Green Park Stadium.

Just a couple of days before the much-anticipated India vs Bangladesh encounter, authorities deemed Stand C, particularly Balcony C, unsafe for a full-capacity crowd for the India vs Bangladesh second Test.

This startling development came after the Indian cricket team took a 1-0 lead in the ongoing two-match India vs Bangladesh Test series with a commanding 280-run win over Bangladesh in the first Test in Chennai.

Balcony C at Green Park Stadium declared unsafe ahead of India vs Bangladesh Test

Now, the excitement for the Kanpur India vs Bangladesh Test is overshadowed by fears of potential danger in the stands. In a shocking revelation, the Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department (PWD) has claimed that balcony C of Green Park Stadium is not strong enough to handle the pressure of the packed crowd.

PWD’s warning, just three days before the second India vs Bangladesh Test, has forced the Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) to come into action to ensure the safety of spectators. The UPCA, responding to the urgent safety concerns by the PWD, has taken the drastic step of restricting ticket sales for the Balcony C.

While Balcony C can typically host up to 4,800 fans, only 1,700 tickets will be sold for this section for the upcoming India vs. Bangladesh Test in Kanpur.

The UPCA decided after the engineers carried out a detailed inspection of the stand and spent hours assessing the risk, as they advised against allowing a full-capacity crowd in balcony C.

We have been told to sell only 1700 tickets for the stand: UPCA

The looming uncertainty over the safety of the stadium has created a buzz among fans and players alike, casting a shadow over what was expected to be an electrifying showdown. Apart from the concerns surrounding Stand C at Green Park Stadium, the stadium’s floodlights are also facing issues.

The UPCA CEO Ankit Chatterjee was quoted as saying by the Indian Express: “The PWD has raised some issues, and we have agreed that we will not sell all the tickets for Balcony C. We have been told to sell only 1700 tickets for the stand, which has a capacity of 4,800. The repair work will continue for the next couple of days.”

A team of engineers spent almost six hours assessing the balcony C stand and has advised UPCA to close it for the upcoming Test match in Kanpur. A PWD engineer claimed, “This stand won’t be able to take the weight of even 50 fans if they start jumping after Rishabh Pant hits a six. This part of the stadium is in dire need of repair.”

Notably, the Green Park Stadium is managed by the sports department of the Uttar Pradesh government, and it didn’t get to host many international matches recently, primarily because of the new Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.

Eight bulbs of the floodlight not working properly in Kanpur

The UPCA CEO mentioned that while the association does not have direct control over the stadium, they have 40 days to prepare it before any match. Mr. Chatterjee added, “This stadium is not directly under UPCA, and we have a clear window of 40 days before a match to get it ready. We have done our best to keep everything intact before this important World Test Championship (WTC) match.”

There are also concerns regarding the stadium's floodlights as if poor lighting conditions impact gameplay during the match, the UPCA would be just helpless. A sports department officer revealed: “Eight bulbs of the floodlight near the VIP pavilion are not working properly. In Kanpur, visibility has always been a problem. It’s mostly because of the pollution. Hopefully, we won’t have to go through that embarrassment again.”