Decision on IPL matches at Chinnaswamy stadium on Dec 11

Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday said that a decision on allowing the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to host international matches at M Chinnaswamy Stadium will be taken in a Cabinet meeting scheduled for Thursday.

“We have no intention of stopping the matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium. We will not disappoint the cricket fans. There is a need to initiate crowd control measures. Also, we have to incorporate the recommendations of the Michael D’Cunha committee in a phased manner. Even the KSCA president has agreed to it,” Shivakumar told reporters after meeting the newly elected KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad and other office-bearers.

“We will not let any matches, including the IPL ties, be shifted out of Bengaluru. I have urged Prasad to put up united efforts to bring back the international matches to Bengaluru. The Congress government is committed to developing cricketing infrastructure, including building new stadiums,” the deputy chief minister said.

Earlier in the day, the president of Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Venkatesh Prasad and other office-bearers met Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and his deputy D K Shivakumar here and urged them to allow the state cricket body to host IPL and international matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium.

Speaking to reporters after meeting the CM and the DyCM, Prasad said, “Chinnaswamy Stadium has not hosted marquee matches since a stampede outside the stadium that claimed 11 lives during the Royal Challengers Bangalore’s IPL victory celebrations. We have convinced the CM and DCM that the KSCA had no involvement whatsoever in the incident. We have urged them to allow the KSCA to host international matches. The CM and his deputy have responded positively.”

KSCA secretary Santosh Menon, vice-president Sujit Somasundar, Vinay Mruthyunjaya and Avinash Potdar were present.