RCB under pressure as ‘ball is in your court’ warning issued by Venkatesh Prasad on IPL return to Chinnaswamy

Karnataka State Cricket Association chief Venkatesh Prasad spoke about hosting the IPL 2026 matches at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. Prasad said the state authorities have allowed the matches to be held at the venue, provided that specific conditions laid down by the Karnataka state government are met.

11 people lost their lives and several others were injured outside the stadium RCBlast year’s victory celebrations. Following the stampede during the victory parade on June 4, no matches were planned on site. Any future permission to host games will be subject to approval from the state government.

We promised to bring back the Bengaluru IPL – Venkatesh Prasad

Speaking at a press conference in Bengaluru on January 21, Venkatesh Prasad said that the KSCA has taken a major step towards the return of IPL matches in the city. He said the first major hurdle was overcome after authorities gave conditional approval to host matches at the stadium.

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“We promised to bring the IPL back to this great city and this iconic stadium, and the first hurdle has been cleared,” Prasad said.

“If all the agencies were not convinced that the KSCA can achieve everything planned within the given time frame, they would not have given us this conditional approval… It has been neither day nor night for us in the last 30 to 45 days,” he added.

There is still a lot of work to be done – Venkatesh Prasad

Prasad also said that there is still a lot of work to be done before cricket can return to Bengaluru. He said the KSCA was in talks with several agencies and contractors. He suggested that some individuals are trying to create obstacles in order to delay the return of matches to the stadium.

“There is still a lot of work to be done. We are talking with different agencies, contractors, etc., to ensure that we provide the highest standards in safety, governance and spectator welfare,” Prasad continued.

“In everything we do, there are a few individuals who are trying to create obstacles. With the apparent intention of delaying the return of cricket to the Chinnaswamy Stadium.”

The ball is in RCB’s court – Venkatesh Prasad

Venkatesh Prasad also said that he hoped RCB would play all their home matches in Bengaluru, including the opening match. He added that the KSCA is confident of meeting all requirements by the end of February. He also noted that RCB is yet to communicate its plans to the government.

“I sincerely hope and pray that the Royal Challengers Bengaluru plays all its home matches, including the opening match, here. We are confident that we will complete the work by February end to get the unconditional letter from the Karnataka government,” Venkatesh said.

“The ball is in RCB’s court. I also hope that RCB will also step up and engage with the government for the smooth conduct of matches. So far, it has been one-sided,” he added.

“Having done all this, I sincerely hope and pray that Royal Challengers Bengaluru play all their home matches here, including the opening match.
We are confident that we will complete the work by the end of February to get the unconditional letter from the Karnataka government.

—Saurabh Somani (@saurabh_42) J.AnYouArYes 21, 2026

Also read: IPL 2026 Venues Revealed; RCB ‘too scared’ to play Chinnaswamy, beg Mumbai Indians to become NOC