Players, officials, and fans at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium observed a minute’s silence before the IPL 2026 season opener between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad to honor eleven supporters who died in a stampede during RCB’s title celebrations last year. Both teams wore black armbands as a sign of respect, with RCB also warming up in jerseys featuring the number 11. Additionally, 11 seats in the stadium have been permanently reserved to commemorate the lives lost.
A memorial plaque was unveiled by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) at the stadium entrance in memory of the eleven fans, marking the return of top-flight cricket to the ground for the first time since May 2025. The tragic incident occurred on June 4 last year when a stampede took place as fans gathered outside the stadium to celebrate RCB’s first IPL title. This led to the suspension of cricket at the venue and the implementation of safety reviews.
Following the safety reviews, Bengaluru missed out on hosting the 2025 ICC Women’s ODI World Cup, the state’s KSCA Maharaja Trophy, domestic games, and the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup. Noteworthy changes have been implemented by the Venkatesh Prasad-led KSCA in terms of crowd management and stadium infrastructure to prevent such incidents in the future.
