Karnataka government clears Chinnaswamy stadium to host IPL 2026 matches
India Today
IPL 2026: Karnataka government has approved IPL matches at Chinnaswamy Stadium after an expert committee reviewed safety and preparedness measures at a meeting chaired by Home Minister G. Parameshwara.
The Karnataka government approved the hosting of upcoming Indian Premier League (IPL) matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium on Monday, March 16.
An expert committee presented a detailed report on safety and preparedness measures at a meeting chaired by Home Minister G. Parameshwara at Vidhana Soudha.
The venue will host the home fixtures of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), with the franchise scheduled to play five league matches at their home ground.
Chinnaswamy will also host the tournament opener for the upcoming edition of the IPL. Defending champions RCB will take on Sunrisers Hyderabad on March 28, marking the first match at the venue since the tragic stampede that claimed 11 lives during the franchise's title celebrations last year.
The franchise will also use the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Cricket Stadium in Raipur as their second home, where they are scheduled to play two league matches. Apart from these, one IPL playoff fixture and the final are also slated to be held in Bengaluru.
Cricketing activities had been suspended following the stampede that claimed 11 lives during RCB's IPL victory celebrations in 2025. The venue also missed out on hosting the Ranji Trophy final between Karnataka and Jammu and Kashmir earlier this year, with the match shifted to Hubballi while the stadium underwent safety upgrades.
Rohit Sharma believes India's recent success in ICC tournaments could be the start of a strong phase for the national teams. The India captain praised both men's and women's teams and hopes the winning run continues.
Suryakumar Yadav revealed how a phone call and a little faith helped Ishan Kishan stage a sensational comeback, earning him a spot in India's Men's T20 World Cup squad. Kishan capitalised on the opportunity, scoring 317 runs in nine matches.
Indian cricketer Kuldeep Yadav married his childhood friend, Vanshika Singh, on March 14 in a grand ceremony held in Mussoorie. The celebrations were even more special for Kuldeep, coming shortly after India's T20 World Cup 2026 triumph.
AIFF deputy secretary general M Satyanarayan says the federation replaced the Indian women's team's ill-fitting AFC Women's Asian Cup kits within seven hours, but the effort went unrecognised.
Pakistan national selector Aaqib Javed believes that the country and the country's cricket board need to move on from scapegoating culture to move forward in international cricket.
Speaking at the India Today Conclave in New Delhi, Abhishek Sharma revealed how his father and family helped him overcome a difficult T20 World Cup campaign, during which he battled poor form before scoring a match-winning 18-ball fifty in the final against New Zealand.
Kevin Pietersen has stepped down as Delhi Capitals mentor ahead of IPL 2026, saying he could not commit the time required, though he confirmed he will return to the commentary box during the tournament.
The PCB has denied reports that Pakistan players were fined PKR 5 million each for their T20 World Cup exit, with spokesperson Amir Mir clarifying that no penalties have been imposed, though the board is considering a performance-based accountability formula.
Salman Ali Agha has been given a reprimand and a demerit point following his outburst after the controversial run out during the second ODI against Bangladesh on Friday, March 13.
On this day on March 14, 2001, India overcame a massive first-innings deficit to script a remarkable 171-run victory against Australia in the 2001 Kolkata Test, powered by the record-breaking partnership of Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman and a dominant display by Harbhajan Singh on the final day.
Rahul Dravid, Roger Binny and Mithali Raj headline the BCCI Naman Awards 2026 in New Delhi, as Indian cricket celebrates its legends and a historic run of ICC trophy wins.
Irfan Pathan believes IPL 2026 is the right time for MS Dhoni to hand over responsibilities to CSK's next generation, with Ayush Mhatre, Ruturaj Gaikwad and others ready to step up.