Bengaluru's M Chinnaswamy Stadium will no longer host any matches of the upcoming 2025 Women's ODI World Cup, according to a report. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has come under the scanner ever since a stampede killed 11 fans and injured scores of others, who had thronged the areas near the stadium to take part in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's maiden IPL title celebration. Last week, the cabinet approved Justice John Michael D'Cunha's Commission verdict, which deemed the iconic venue "unsuitable and unsafe for mass gathering".
According to a report by India Today, the state government has refused to give clearance to the venue, citing serious safety concerns flagged by the court hearing last week.
"Sources in the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) confirmed that fixtures originally planned in the city, including the opening ceremony, will now be shifted to other venues. The decision follows the cabinet's approval of Justice John Michael D'Cunha Commission's findings, which deemed the stadium "fundamentally unsafe" for large-scale events," the report said.
The Chinnaswamy Stadium is scheduled to host the opening game and the final of the ICC Women's World Cup later this year, as well as the opening ceremony.
The report also revealed that the KSCA has expressed its disappointment over the verdict, highlighting the stadium's record of successfully hosting over 750 matches and nearly 15 IPL seasons without incident.
"Even our request to host matches without spectators was turned down," the report quoted a KSCA official as saying.
This also comes after the venue was denied permission to host the KSCA Maharaj T20 Trophy.
The fourth edition of the tournament was scheduled to be played at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium from August 11 to 28, but the failure to obtain a clearance certificate from the city police forced the association to shift the matches to the Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar Cricket Stadium in Mysuru.
(With PTI Inputs)