After the stampede that killed 11 people during RCB’s victory parade, questions were raised about whether the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium would reopen to spectators and whether fans would get to watch Virat Kohli’s majestic batting from the stands. Amid growing speculation, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar made a firm announcement: the IPL will not be moved, and matches will be played at Chinnaswamy.
On June 4, during RCB’s victory celebration, a stampede left 11 dead and at least 47 injured. Since then, Chinnaswamy Stadium had practically been sidelined. Even Women’s World Cup matches were shifted elsewhere, and rumours spread that RCB might play their IPL games in Pune instead. A special directive from the Karnataka government further intensified speculation.
Responding strongly, Shivakumar said, “I love cricket myself. We will ensure such an incident never happens again. Cricket will return to Chinnaswamy in a manner that honours Bengaluru. The IPL will not be moved. Matches will be played right here. This stadium is the pride of Karnataka and Bengaluru.”
After widespread blame-shifting between the state government, cricket authorities, and RCB management over the stampede, concerns were raised about the stadium’s safety. Though the government had earlier demanded proof of its readiness to host large crowds, Shivakumar on Sunday said that the Karnataka State Cricket Association will ensure proper crowd-control measures. Some believe spectator capacity may still be restricted during the IPL.
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