The future of the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup matches scheduled to be held at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium has become uncertain, as the host Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) failed to secure police clearance by the 10 August deadline. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had instructed the KSCA to obtain the necessary approvals by last Saturday, but according to local police officials, the process had still not been completed as of Tuesday. Meanwhile, the Greenfield Stadium in Karyavattom, Thiruvananthapuram, has emerged as a possible alternative venue for the matches currently allocated to Bengaluru.
The prestigious ICC tournament is set to begin with India facing Sri Lanka on 30 September at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. Other scheduled fixtures at the venue include England vs South Africa (3 October), India vs Bangladesh (26 October), the second semi-final (30 October), and the final (2 November). Reliable sources revealed that Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) officials have been approached about the tournament schedule and the venue’s readiness to host major matches in less than a month.
According to ICC guidelines, the host association must hand over the venue to the global governing body 30 days before the tournament begins, and no other matches should take place during this period. However, the Greenfield Stadium is set to host Kerala Cricket League (KCL) matches from 21 August to 7 September. KCA officials remain confident that, if needed, they can shift those T20 matches to another venue to accommodate the World Cup games. Sources told PTI, “If the World Cup matches are moved here, we have alternative venues, but we are still awaiting final confirmation.”
KSCA officials did not respond to queries about a potential venue change, but it is understood they have proposed hosting the World Cup matches behind closed doors to secure police clearance. Notably, despite deciding to hold the Maharaja T20 Trophy at the Chinnaswamy Stadium without spectators, KSCA had to move the event to Mysuru. This followed a single-member D’Cunha Commission declaring the stadium “unsafe” for major events after a stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations. The incident, which left several dead and many injured, prompted the state government on 4 June to form the commission to investigate.