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The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru is facing a major logistical and infrastructural crisis, which has led to its likely removal as a host venue for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025. This development follows a tragic stampede and a subsequent judicial verdict that has deemed the iconic stadium ‘unsuitable and unsafe’ for large-scale gatherings. The decision has created a domino effect, forcing tournament organizers to scramble for an alternative venue and casting a shadow over Bengaluru’s future as a prime host for major sporting events.
The reasons behind Bengaluru’s exclusion as host venue of ODI World Cup 2025
According to the ESPNcricinfo report, The root cause of this decision traces back to a catastrophic stampede on June 4, which occurred during the celebrations for the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s maiden Indian Premier League (IPL) title win. The tragedy, which took place outside the stadium, claimed the lives of 11 fans and left more than 50 injured. In the aftermath, the Karnataka government appointed the Justice John Michael D’Cunha Commission to investigate the incident. The commission’s findings were damning, concluding that the stadium’s “design and structure” were fundamentally flawed for managing large crowds.
The report highlighted several critical failures, including limited entry and exit points, a lack of dedicated queuing areas, poor connectivity to public transport, and inadequate emergency evacuation plans. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) was held partially responsible, along with the event organizers and police, for what the report called “recklessness bordering on gross negligence,” The state cabinet has since approved the commission’s verdict and officially refused to grant police clearance for the stadium to host the World Cup matches.
The search for an alternative of M.Chinnaswamy stadium and the affected schedule
With Bengaluru’s hosting rights in jeopardy, the search for a new venue has intensified. The report further stated that Greenfield International Stadium in Thiruvananthapuram has emerged as the frontrunner, with sources indicating that it will likely be awarded the matches originally slated for Bengaluru. The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) has also prepared a contingency plan to shift its own domestic league to another location if necessary.
he relocation is a significant logistical challenge, as Bengaluru was scheduled to host several marquee fixtures, including the opening ceremony and opening match between India and Sri Lanka on September 30. Other crucial games to be moved include England vs South Africa (October 3), India vs Bangladesh (October 26), the second semi-final on October 30, and possibly the tournament’s final on November 2. The other cities confirmed to be hosting matches for the tournament are Visakhapatnam, Indore, Guwahati, and Colombo.
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KSCA’s response and the future of the venue
As per report, the Karnataka State Cricket Association has expressed its profound disappointment with the state government’s decision, emphasizing that the stadium has a distinguished track record of successfully hosting over 750 matches and nearly 15 IPL seasons without a major incident. They have contended that the stampede occurred during a “privately organized event” and not a cricket match, and have even unsuccessfully offered to host the World Cup matches with a reduced capacity or behind closed doors.
The KSCA has already had to relocate its domestic Maharaja Trophy to Mysuru for the same reason. The incident’s fallout has also resulted in the resignation of top KSCA officials, including former secretary A Shankar and treasurer ES Jairam, who stepped down on moral grounds. With the KSCA having missed the BCCI’s August 10 deadline to secure police approvals, a final decision from the ICC and BCCI is imminent, especially as venues need to be handed over to the tournament organizers a month before the event starts.
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