Vijay Hazare Trophy second semi-final, final rescheduled

New Delhi, March 17 (IANS) The BCCI rescheduled the second semi-final and final of the Vijay Hazare trophy on Friday following a fire at a hotel where the teams contesting the second semi-final were lodged.

Shortly before the start of the second semi-final of the domestic 50-over tournament between Jharkhand and Bengal at the Air Force Ground in Palam, the BCCI postponed the game to Saturday.

The venue of the second semi-final was also shifted to the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium where the final will now take place on Monday instead of Sunday.

"The second semi-final and the final have been rescheduled due to a fire accident which happened in the hotel where the teams were staying due to which the players were not in a position to play the match," the BCCI said in a statement.

"The BCCI confirms that all the players and match officials are unhurt and safe.

"The semi-final, which was to be held on Friday at the Airforce Complex Ground, Palam, will now be held at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium on Saturday.

"The final will now be played on Monday instead of Sunday at the Feroz Shah Kotla Stadium."

Former India skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who is leading his state team Jharkhand, was reportedly present at the hotel when the incident occurred.

The Tamil Nadu team, who had qualified for the final on Thursday, were also lodged in the same hotel in Sector 10 area of Dwarka.

According to sources, the players and officials only came to know about the fire after the rooms were filled with dense smoke.

The players of Jharkhand and Tamil Nadu assembled outside the hotel waiting to retrieve their belongings, including kits.

Earlier, a call was made to the Delhi Fire Service at around 6.30 a.m. following which nearly 30 fire tenders reached the spot.