The chaos outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on June 4 left the entire country in shock. 11 people died and many were injured and the BCCI took it seriously. Though the celebration was a public event backed by the Karnataka government and managed by the Karnataka State Cricket Association, the tragedy hit hard and the BCCI wanted to act.
In response to the mismanagement, the BCCI decided to shift the upcoming three-match ODI series between India ‘A’ and South Africa ‘A’ from Bengaluru to Rajkot. They announced this in a press release.
Two multi-day matches will still be held in Bengaluru but the one-day games will be played at the Saurashtra Cricket Association Stadium in Rajkot.
KSCA president Raghuram Bhat claimed the venue change had nothing to do with the stampede but many in the cricketing fraternity weren’t convinced. With the ICC Women’s World Cup coming up in India and Sri Lanka and Bengaluru being a key venue, there are fears that the ICC might need to find an alternative venue due to the aftermath of the stampede. The damage to the stadium – walls, railings, staircases and sanitation facilities – means it needs repairs before any matches can be held.
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According to the ICC’s schedule, M Chinnaswamy Stadium is set to host several big matches during the World Cup – India’s opening game on September 30, a semifinal on October 30 and possibly the final on November 2 unless Pakistan qualifies in which case the final will be shifted to Colombo.
