Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 Tournament Moved to Mysuru, Closed-Door Event Planned

Bengaluru, Aug 7 (PTI) - The fourth edition of the Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 tournament has been relocated from Bengaluru to Mysuru and will now be conducted as a closed-door event. Originally slated to take place at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium between August 11 and 28, the move was necessitated due to the failure to receive a clearance certificate from the local police. The matches will instead be hosted at the Srikantadatta Narasimharaja Wadiyar Cricket Stadium in Mysuru.

There are no changes to the original schedule. The police decision not to grant clearance is linked to the ongoing investigation into the tragic June 4 stampede that occurred near the Chinnaswamy Stadium. This deadly incident, which took place during the IPL victory celebrations of Royal Challengers Bengaluru, resulted in the loss of 11 lives and left many others injured.

Last week, the Justice John Michael D'Cunha Commission, formed by the Karnataka Government, declared the Chinnaswamy Stadium "unsuitable and unsafe for mass gatherings". In light of this, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) considered holding the tournament at the Alur grounds on the outskirts of the city. However, the lack of floodlights and proper seating for spectators made this option unviable.

It remains uncertain when the Chinnaswamy Stadium will next host a match. The season-opening Duleep Trophy is scheduled to be played at the BCCI Centre of Excellence grounds. Meanwhile, the venue is also lined up to host some fixtures in the approaching ICC Women's 50-over World Cup.