Women's ODI World Cup: Chinnaswamy replaced by DY Patil Stadium

Bengaluru: The Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru expectedly lost the hosting rights for the upcoming Women’s ODI World Cup matches after authorities concerned failed to secure the required administrative and security clearances, with the International Cricket Council naming DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai as the replacement.

Chinnaswamy Stadium’s status to stage its quota of the marquee event’s matches -- which included the tournament opener on September 30, a semifinal and potentially the final on November 2 if Pakistan didn’t get that far -- looked uncertain following the tragic stampede on June 4. On that fateful day, 11 fans lost their lives during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s victory celebrations, which forced the under-fire State Government to form the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission to probe into the incident that attracted widespread condemnation.

Justice D’Cunha, following a detailed investigation, submitted a damning report, saying the Chinnaswamy Stadium, one of the iconic venues in the country, is unfit to host high-profile matches that will attract large crowds while also recommending a relocation of the stadium to a more spacious part of the City.

Following the incident, the City cops refused to give clearance to the local Karnataka State Cricket Association for hosting any matches with Justice D’Cunha’s report acting as a catalyst. The ongoing Maharaja T20 Trophy was shifted to Mysuru while the stadium has been functioning without electricity since the tragedy.  

For the World Cup matches the cops set time-bound stringent safety measures which were impossible to be met by the deadline. 

As per the ICC guidelines, the host association needs to hand over the venue to the global governing body 30 days prior to the tournament’s start, and with KSCA not in a position to meet the measures demanded by the police, Navi Mumbai became the beneficiary.

“While unforeseen circumstances required us to adjust the schedule and replace a venue, we are pleased to now have a line-up of five world-class venues that will showcase the very best of the women’s game. The stage is set, and I am confident this tournament will capture imaginations and inspire a new generation of fans,” said ICC president Jay Shah (in pic) in a statement on Friday.

“Navi Mumbai has emerged as a genuine home for women’s cricket in recent years. The support it has received during international fixtures and the Women’s Premier League has been remarkable, creating an atmosphere that elevates the players and inspires fans. I am certain that the same energy will define the big matches of the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup as it returns to India after 12 years,” he added.

Navi Mumbai will host five matches, including a semifinal and final on November 30 if Pakistan don’t advance to the title clash. If Pakistan qualify for the final, then irrespective of who the opposition is, the game will be held at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo. The Sri Lankan capital will also stage the India vs Pakistan affair on October 5 following a recent agreement between the two nations where they’ll play their games in neutral venues when one of them is the host of ICC/ ACC events. Pakistan will be camped in Colombo.

Apart from Navi Mumbai and Colombo, the other venues for the marquee event where hosts India will be chasing their maiden title are ACA Stadium in Guwahati, Holkar Stadium in Indore and ACA-VDCA Stadium in Visakhapatnam.