After months of uncertainty and tragic events, cricket is set to return to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The iconic venue will host its first matches since the stampede on June 4 that claimed 11 lives during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations.
The stadium is one of the hosts for the Karnataka State Cricket Association’s (KSCA) K Thimmappiah Memorial Trophy, a red-ball, multi-day pre-season tournament.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium will host six matches in the competition, including one semi-final and the final, which are scheduled to begin on September 26. However, in light of the ongoing safety concerns and investigations, fans will not be permitted inside the stadium.
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Despite the closed-door policy, the tournament will feature some of India’s top cricket stars, including Ajinkya Rahane, Venkatesh Iyer, Hanuma Vihari, Vijay Shankar, and Shashank Singh. Teams from across the country, including Mumbai, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh, and Himachal, will be participating.
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The return of cricket to the Chinnaswamy Stadium coincides with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) breaking their social media silence regarding the tragic stampede. The franchise recently announced that it has extended INR 25 lakh to the families of the victims and committed to long-term actions for improved crowd safety and management.
The stadium has been at the center of an ongoing tussle between the KSCA, the Karnataka government, and the state police, all of whom are under investigation by a one-man tribunal. This has led to the venue being denied permission to host several events, including the Women’s World Cup and the Maharaja Trophy.
Additionally, the venue’s electricity supply was cut off by BESCOM due to non-compliance with fire safety regulations, forcing the stadium to rely on generators and solar power.
Amidst these challenges, a government-appointed committee has deemed the Chinnaswamy Stadium “unsafe” for large-scale events and recommended that such events be moved to more suitable venues. This recommendation has prompted
Karnataka’s Deputy Chief Minister, DK Shivakumar, to announce plans for a new, larger cricket stadium with a 60,000-fan capacity, to be built as part of a 75-acre sports complex in the city’s suburbs.