The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) on Wednesday voiced its disappointment after the IPL 2026 final was moved from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad by the BCCI. Bengaluru was expected to stage the title match because Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the defending champions, but the Board shifted the venue to Ahmedabad without laying out a clear, specific cause. The BCCI later stated that the change was made “owing to certain requirements” raised by the local association and authorities—matters it said fall outside the scope of the Board’s existing guidelines and established protocols.
At the beginning of IPL 2026, KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad had announced that the BCCI would allocate seven matches to Bengaluru. That plan included five league games for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, along with a play-off and the final at the city’s main venue.
KSCA’s spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya said the decision to relocate the play-offs has not been explained to the state body in detail. “KSCA expresses its disappointment that the IPL play-off matches have been allotted to other centres. KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad was in touch with the BCCI on this matter and also formally communicated the association’s readiness, willingness, and strong interest in hosting the IPL play-offs at the iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium,” Mruthyunjaya said.
Mruthyunjaya added that the BCCI has not yet shared the “specific reasons” behind moving the play-off fixtures away from Bengaluru. “Despite our preparedness and willingness to host the play-offs, we understand that the BCCI has chosen to allocate these matches to other venues,” he said. He further stressed that, while KSCA has not received formal details, it still respects the Board’s authority. “While the specific reasons for the same have not been formally communicated to KSCA, we fully respect the prerogative and decision-making authority of the BCCI in this regard,” he added.
KSCA, working alongside Royal Challengers Bengaluru and other state government agencies, had carried out extensive upgrade and safety-related work ahead of IPL 2026. The preparations followed a tragic incident in which 11 fans were killed during the franchise’s victory celebrations last year. The state government and the BCCI were reportedly satisfied with the measures taken before giving the green light for cricket to return to the ground.
The five IPL matches played in Bengaluru during the season also passed off without any reported incidents, with officials noting improvements in security arrangements and crowd management. “The IPL matches conducted in Bengaluru during the current season were widely appreciated for their smooth execution, crowd management, operational efficiency, and overall spectator experience,” Mruthyunjaya said. “In this regard, KSCA had addressed a detailed communication to the BCCI outlining its preparedness and explaining the operational framework under which the current IPL season was conducted in Bengaluru,” he added.
Even with the play-offs not being scheduled in the city, Mruthyunjaya reiterated that KSCA is “fully prepared” to host matches at all levels. “KSCA would like to reiterate that it remains fully prepared to host matches of national and international importance and will continue to extend its fullest support and cooperation to the BCCI, franchises, government authorities, and all stakeholders for the successful conduct of cricketing events in India,” he said.
Looking ahead, international cricket is set to return to the Chinnaswamy later this year. The venue will host the fifth T20I between India and the West Indies on October 17. The second ODI between India and Sri Lanka is also scheduled at the same ground on December 16.
