With less than two months to go for the Women’s ODI World Cup, uncertainty clouds Bengaluru’s role as a host city. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) are growing increasingly anxious about the situation, as the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) is yet to receive the required clearance from the State Government to host the tournament’s matches.
Bengaluru is currently slated to host some of the most crucial fixtures of the tournament, including the opening clash between India and Sri Lanka on September 30 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Three more games, including a semifinal on October 30, have been allocated to the city, and the final on November 2 is also scheduled for Bengaluru — if Pakistan does not make the title clash.
The delay in clearance stems from the tragic stampede in June, which claimed 11 lives during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations. The incident, now a subject of legal proceedings, has led to heightened sensitivity around hosting major events in the city.
In light of the situation, the KSCA has already shifted the Maharaja Cup T20 tournament to Mysuru and is now awaiting an official nod for the World Cup fixtures.
“We’ve written to the State Government and are awaiting a response. It’s not as if they’ve denied permission. If that were the policy, they wouldn’t have allowed the Maharaja Cup in Mysuru. So, we’re waiting,”
— a KSCA official said.
“There is some more time for this and we’re going step by step.”
Besides Bengaluru, the tournament will be hosted across Guwahati (ACA Stadium), Indore (Holkar Stadium), Visakhapatnam (ACA-VDCA Stadium), and Colombo (R Premadasa Stadium).
A total of eight teams will compete: India, Sri Lanka, Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Pakistan. The event will feature 31 matches: 28 league games, two semifinals, and the final.
As things stand, the spotlight remains on the Karnataka Government’s decision, which could significantly impact the tournament’s opening and closing chapters.
