The M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
Credit: DH Photo
The under-fire Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) on Saturday said it’s been granted permission to host international and IPL matches at the Chinnaswamy Stadium by the Home Department, provided certain terms and conditions are met.
The development is good news for cricket fans who have been waiting to see some action at the venue that has fallen silent after the stampede on June 4 last year.
“We are pleased to inform you that the Home Department, Government of Karnataka, has granted permission to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to host international and IPL matches at the iconic M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru,” said a statement from Vinay Mruthyunjaya, official spokesperson of the KSCA.
“The permission is subject to compliance with specific terms and conditions prescribed by the Government and the concerned authorities,” the statement said, adding that the “KSCA is confident of fulfilling all the stipulated conditions”. “The Association has already presented a detailed compliance roadmap before the Expert Review Committee and remains fully committed to implementing all safety, security, and crowd management measures in letter and spirit.”
When contacted by DH on the conditions, Mruthyunjaya said the association intends to discuss the matter during a press conference next week.
“Whatever recommendations were made by the Justice Michael D’Cunha Commission and whatever the Home Department wanted, the new committee is working round the clock to address them,” Mruthyunjaya said. “Our main agenda before we got elected was to get international cricket back at Chinnaswamy, and this is the first step towards achieving that,” he said and thanked the state government, the Expert Review Committee, and concerned agencies”.
The state government had barred the Chinnaswamy Stadium from hosting matches following the stampede that killed 11 fans during RCB’s victory celebrations.
The government formed the Justice Michael D’Cunha Commission to investigate the incident, which then recommended several structural changes to the venue before it is given the green signal to host big matches.
Following the commission recommendations, the government formed an Expert Review Committee comprising the Bengaluru police, Fire and Emergency Services Department, Public Works Department and Greater Bengaluru Authority to study the changes being undertaken by the KSCA.
In fact, the committee didn’t recommend Chinnaswamy Stadium hosting the Vijay Hazare Trophy group stages matches last month, where Virat Kohli featured for Delhi, despite the KSCA saying those contests will be held behind closed doors.
Saturday’s development now leaves the ball in the RCB’s court on whether they’ll play at Chinnaswamy Stadium, which has been their home since their inception in 2008.
When Chinnaswamy was still a no-go zone, reports emerged that RCB were finalising on playing their home games at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and Raipur. The IPL is scheduled to start in March.
KSCA, which was still awaiting permission, had said if RCB failed to commit to Chinnaswamy, then they would explore hosting other franchises.
But in a strange twist on Friday, RCB said they have proposed the installation of 300-350 AI-enabled cameras at the Chinnaswamy Stadium and offered to bear the estimated cost of Rs 4.50 crore for better crowd management.
Highlights - Saga of a stadium Stampede during RCB victory celebrations claims 11 lives on Jun 4, 2025 Govt forms Justice Michael D’Cunha Commission to investigate the incident, which recommends several structural changes Govt forms an Expert Review Committee to study the changes being undertaken by the KSCA Committee doesn't recommend stadium hosting the Vijay Hazare Trophy group stages matches Reports emerge that RCB is looking at playing their home games at DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and Raipur