In a surprising turn of events, Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has been excluded as a venue for the 2025 Women’s World Cup after the Karnataka government denied permission, citing significant safety concerns raised in a judicial commission report following the June 4 stampede during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru victory parade.
Sources within the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) have confirmed that matches initially scheduled to take place in Bengaluru, including the opening ceremony, will be relocated to alternative venues. This decision comes after the state cabinet approved the findings of the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission, which declared the stadium “fundamentally unsafe” for hosting large-scale events.
The KSCA expressed disappointment with the decision, noting that the stadium has a strong track record, having successfully hosted over 750 matches and nearly 15 IPL seasons without any major incidents.
A KSCA official commented, “Even our request to host matches without spectators was turned down,” noting that the June 4 event was privately organised, not a cricket match.
The commission was established to investigate the stampede that occurred during the IPL victory celebrations outside the stadium, which resulted in 11 deaths and left more than 50 people injured.
The Justice D’Cunha Commission concluded that the stadium’s “design and structure” are ill-suited for managing large crowds, pointing to issues such as limited entry and exit points, poor access to public transport, a lack of designated queuing areas, inadequate emergency evacuation plans, and minimal parking facilities. The report warned that hosting major events at the venue would pose “unacceptable risks” to public safety.
Officials also flagged significant failures in crowd management during the June 4 celebrations, placing partial blame on RCB, KSCA, the event organiser DNA Entertainment, and senior police officials. Investigators revealed that only 79 police personnel were stationed inside the stadium, with none positioned outside, and no ambulances were available on-site.
This is not the first setback for M. Chinnaswamy Stadium; only recently, it was denied permission to host the KSCA Maharaj T20 Trophy. With Bengaluru now excluded from the list of venues, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and International Cricket Council (ICC) are expected to announce revised fixtures and alternatives.
The World Cup is set to begin on 30 September, with the opening match between hosts Sri Lanka and India. Originally scheduled to be held at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, the match will now take place at a replacement venue.
With M. Chinnaswamy Stadium ruled out of the upcoming World Cup, potential replacements include Delhi’s Arun Jaitley Stadium and Mumbai’s Brabourne Stadium or Wankhede Stadium, both of which have prior experience hosting high-profile matches in World Cups and the WPL.
(Inputs sourced from India Today)
Loves all things female cricket