By Online Desk

The first T20I between India and Australia has been moved from Bengaluru to Visakhapatnam due to security concerns raised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). Bengaluru will now host the second T20I on February 27 after the KSCA and Andhra Cricket Association (ACA) decided to swap the T20Is.

With the Aero India Show - a major international event - and Prime Minister Narendra Modi visiting on the same day, the Police Commissioner informed the KSCA that they will be unable guarantee the necessary security for the T20I. As a result, KSCA wrote to ACA asking for a swap of the games and the move has also been approved by the BCCI, according to the Hindustan Times.

KSCA president Sanjay M Desai sent a letter ACA general secretary Arun Kumar stating that there has been an "adverse development" that has resulted in the required security support being unavailable.

"In view of the above, we would request you to kindly consider swapping our T-20 match with yours i.e. you would host the First T-20 match on Sunday, 24th February, 2019 in Vizag and we would host the Second T-20 match on Wednesday, 27th February, 2019 in Bangalore," the letter read.

BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary wrote to the Committee of Administrators asking for the request to be approved so that the preparations could be made. CoA co-member Diana Edulji sent the approval which will now mean that Australia's two T20I and five ODI tour of India will begin in Vizag.

Following the two T20Is on February 24 and 27, both India and Australia will begin their preparation for the 2019 World Cup with five ODIs, starting with the Hyderabad ODI on March 2, before going to Nagpur (March 5), Ranchi (March 8), Mohali (March 10) and the final ODI at Delhi on March 13.