The future of cricket at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium hangs in the balance, with the Karnataka state cabinet scheduled to take the final decision today on whether the venue can host the home matches for defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the next IPL season.
11 Dead in Post-IPL Celebration Last Year
The stadium’s hosting rights have been under a cloud since June, when a tragedy struck: 11 people died and several were injured in a stampede outside the venue during the celebrations following RCB’s maiden IPL trophy win.
Following this, the stadium was deemed unfit for major events until crowd safety issues were fixed, leading to matches like the Women’s ODI World Cup being moved out of Bengaluru.
Deputy CM Pushes to Keep Cricket in Bengaluru
Despite a judicial commission report that found the stadium “unsuitable and unsafe” for massive crowds, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar has repeatedly assured fans that the government will not allow IPL matches to be shifted out of Bengaluru.
Following a meeting with the newly elected Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) President, former India cricketer Venkatesh Prasad, Shivakumar stated on Wednesday: “We have no intention of stopping cricket matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium, but we have to think of crowd control measures.” He confirmed that a decision will be made after discussions in the Cabinet meeting today.
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M. Chinnaswamy Stadium Safety Concerns
Crucially, the KSCA has agreed to work with the government on incorporating the safety suggestions made by the Michael D. Cunha committee in a phased manner. The government views retaining the IPL matches as a matter of “Bengaluru and Karnataka’s pride.”
Shivakumar also added that the state is committed to promoting cricket and will explore building new, larger stadiums as an alternative or supplementary venue. For now, the focus is on a successful and safe return of cricket to the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Fans of the defending champions, RCB, are now eagerly awaiting the cabinet’s verdict, hoping to hear that their team will be able to play in front of their home crowd next year.
When M. Chinnaswamy Stadium established?
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was established in 1969, initially known as the Karnataka State Cricket Association Stadium, and was later renamed in honor of M. Chinnaswamy, a former BCCI president. It’s a prominent cricket venue in Bangalore, hosting domestic and international matches.
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