Following the announcement by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Wednesday that the IPL playoffs and finals would take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) expressed its dissatisfaction, indicating that it was ready to host the matches in Bengaluru.
Vinay Mruthyunjaya, a representative for the KSCA, commented, “We are disappointed that the IPL playoff matches have been allocated to other venues. KSCA President and former Indian cricket star Venkatesh Prasad had been in direct communication with the BCCI regarding this matter. He had also formally expressed KSCA’s readiness and eagerness to host the IPL Playoffs at the renowned M Chinnaswamy Stadium.”
The BCCI has scheduled the knockout matches to be held at three different locations beginning on May 26, but has excluded Bengaluru’s M Chinnaswamy Stadium, the home ground of the defending champions, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), from hosting the final.
The decision to overlook Bengaluru was attributed to the KSCA’s failure to fulfill certain criteria necessary to host the final, allowing Ahmedabad to be selected once again.
Mruthyunjaya remarked, “The IPL matches held in Bengaluru this season received positive feedback for their smooth organization, effective crowd management, and overall spectator experience, showcasing KSCA’s ability to successfully host important events of this magnitude. While we were prepared and eager to host the Playoffs, we acknowledge the BCCI’s decision to assign these matches to other locations. Although we have not received formal communication regarding the specific reasons, we respect the BCCI’s authority in making such decisions.”
Nevertheless, some sources within the KSCA suggested that a dispute with local representatives over ticket allocations may have influenced the BCCI’s decision to relocate the matches.
Recently, several Karnataka MLAs requested five tickets for the IPL matches. Congress MLA Vijayanand Kashappanavar stated, “As VIPs, we should not have to stand in line for tickets.” He further expressed concerns that the RCB management was not appropriately acknowledging the support of the MLAs, leading to public criticism of these officials, with some labeling their demands as “glorified begging.”
In response to the speculation linking the ticket demands to the BCCI’s decision, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar denied any connection. “There is no relationship between the ticket distribution for MLAs and the relocation of the final match. In other locations, 50 percent of tickets are reserved,” he stated during a conversation near his residence in Sadashivanagar.
Shivakumar suggested that the IPL final was likely moved to Ahmedabad due to the stadium’s larger capacity, which allows it to accommodate more fans.
On June 4, 2025, a tragic incident occurred outside the stadium when a massive crowd gathered for RCB’s celebration following their first IPL trophy win, resulting in a stampede that claimed the lives of eleven individuals, including a 14-year-old.
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