Bhubaneswar: The Karnataka Home Department on Saturday granted permission to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to resume hosting international and Indian Premier League (IPL) matches at Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, marking a significant step toward the venue’s return to high-profile cricket.
In a statement, the KSCA said the approval is subject to strict compliance with terms and conditions laid down by the state government and other concerned authorities. The association noted that it has already submitted a comprehensive compliance and safety roadmap to the Expert Review Committee.
“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,” the KSCA said.
The stadium has not hosted any high-level matches since the June 4 stampede, which resulted in the tragic loss of 11 lives and raised serious concerns over crowd control and safety infrastructure. Following the incident, authorities imposed restrictions on major events at the venue, leading to heightened scrutiny of its preparedness.
As a consequence of the suspension, the Chinnaswamy Stadium also missed the opportunity to host matches during the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup, scheduled to be played in India next month.
With the latest clearance, cricket is set to return to one of the country’s most iconic venues, subject to the successful implementation of enhanced safety and crowd-management protocols aimed at preventing any recurrence of past lapses.
-OdishaAge
