Bengaluru Stampede A reason? BCCI is moving India A’s Match from M ChinnasWamy Stadium – Inside Sport India

In the wake of the tragic stampede outside M Chinnaswamy Stadium that left 11 dead and over 75 injured during RCB’s IPL trophy celebrations, Bengaluru’s status as a cricketing hub has come under threat. The first sign of fallout is here as well, as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has moved the three-match one-day series between India ‘A’ and South Africa ‘A’ from Bengaluru to Rajkot.

Why did BCCI shift matches out of Bengaluru?

Though BCCI did not officially cite any reason for the shift, the move comes amid KSCA’s administrative turmoil. The stadium, which suffered structural damage during the stampede, is also likely due for renovation. KSCA president Raghuram Bhat has maintained that the change of venue is unrelated to the June 5 tragedy, but the timing gives away the obvious reasoning. This comes just a day after KSCA secretary A. Shankar and treasurer E.S. Jairam resigned, taking moral responsibility for the mishandling of the crowd at the RCB celebration.

Updated India A vs South Africa A Schedule

According to the Times of India, the BCCI is also pondering shifting the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup matches later this year out of Bengaluru as well. If the decision is taken, it will be a huge letdown for M Chinnaswamy Stadium, which is one of the most iconic grounds. It is one of the 5 grounds shortlisted for the mega tournament, scheduled to host India’s opening match and a semi-final and the final (if Pakistan doesn’t qualify) as well.

“I’m yet to come to terms with the tragedy at the stadium, which has brought joy and happiness to fans for 50 years. If the women’s World Cup matches are shifted out of Bengaluru, it will be a huge blow to cricket in the state. As for women’s cricket, we haven’t seen much growth in the past two-and-a-half years, and it will set us back further,” former India captain Shantha Rangaswamy said to TOI.