The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has failed to get clearance from the Bengaluru police, as they have missed that they won’t be able to host the franchise-based T20 competition, the Maharaja T20, which was going to be staged from August 11 to 27 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. The games will now move to Mysuru, as all the sides’ owners have been notified of the change.

Most franchises, including the Mysuru Warriors, had been training at various venues across the city over the past week. The failure to get the permission to host their domestic T20 event is a huge blow to the KSCA, which is also stated to host five matches of the upcoming Women’s World Cup 2025 this autumn, including the tournament opener and one semifinal, starting September 30. Now, there are concerns if the ground could host the IPL games in the future. 

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The association has been under scrutiny after 11 people died and over 50 were injured during the celebration of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru winning their maiden season of the league without permission on June 04, as the authorities have put the moral responsibility tag on the board.

Maharaja T20 tournament moves from Bengaluru to Mysuru

The Maharaja T20 is going to feature several high-profile Karnataka stars, including Karun Nair and Prasidh Krishna, who will be part of the Warriors after their return home post the five-match drawn Test series in England. The former is expected to be out of the first few games after picking up a finger injury during the second innings of the South London Test.

Earlier, the event was expected to be held behind closed doors in Bengaluru, but now the focus for KSCA is to make a smooth progression of the competition in Mysuru, where they will face various challengers, including the temporary broadcast facilities, seating arrangement, pitches, squares, and floodlights at the Wadeyar Stadium.

Some of the other notable players to feature in the T20 tournament will be Manish Pandey, Mayank Agarwal, and Devdutt Paddikal, while some of the young players will be R Smaran, Vijaykumar Vyshak, KV Aneesh, and Nikin Jose. Meanwhile, the women’s Maharani T20 competition will be played in Alur from August 04.

The iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, home of the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), is expected to lose its hosting rights for the upcoming domestic franchise T20 competition. The Bengaluru police have yet to give clearance to the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) to host the Maharaja T20, which is scheduled to begin in August and run for two weeks. 

The non-clearance of the police authority has come after the ongoing investigation of the stampede around the ground in the premises for the celebration of the RCB lifting their maiden title in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, when they got the better of the Punjab Kings (PBKS) at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. An investigation has given the results of 11 deaths and over 50 injuries.

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The KSCA announced that Maharaj T20 would be played behind closed doors. But now they are looking for some different option, including their facility in Alur on the outskirts of Bengaluru, as well as the Mysuru ground. Alur’s drainage is excellent, but the issue will be around the infrastructure and the floodlights, which will be a huge issue for the broadcasters.

M. Chinnaswamy Stadium to lose hosting of Maharaja T20 League 2025

Alur is going to host the group games of the six-day women’s T20 event- the Maharani T20- from August 04. That will give the organizers a clear view of what will be the next process. KSCA has started discussions around the late venue switch, but the franchises have shown their concern for the financial losses they now face, having already gone through the hotel bookings for the players and staff in Bengaluru.

The police clearance issue puts the state association in a tough spot as the ground is also the venue for the opening fixture of the Women’s ODI World Cup 2025, alongside the semi-final and final, if Pakistan doesn’t qualify for the contest. It will also host a couple of warm-up games ahead of the event.

India’s domestic season-opening Duleep Trophy will be played at the BCCI’s Centre of Excellence. They cancelled the final at the ground to give the preparation chance to the women’s side for the World Cup in the late autumn.

The 4th edition of the Maharaja Cup faces uncertainty as the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) awaits police clearance from the Karnataka police to host the state franchise-based T20 competition at M Chinnaswamy Stadium. The tournament is planned to run from August 11 to August 27. 

The clearance has not been obtained due to an ongoing investigation into the June 4 stampede killings, which occurred during RCB's victory parade day, outside the stadium premises. Large swaths of crowds gathered in the vicinity of the stadium in uncontrollable numbers, which quickly overwhelmed the law enforcement authorities, leading to the death of 11 innocent civilians. 

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KSCA on the lookout for alternative venues

In light of the tragic stampede incident, KSCA had previously announced that the Maharaja Cup would be held behind closed doors. Realising that the ongoing investigation would at some point act as a hurdle, KSCA had already made up its mind to shift the tournament outside the Chinnaswamy Stadium. 

Alternative venues such as the Alur Cricket Ground, which is situated on the outskirts of the city, as well as the Wadeyar Ground in Mysuru, are being considered by the association at this stage. Though Alur is equipped with excellent drainage and infrastructure, the stadium lacks adequate seating capacity, and the lack of floodlights further adds to its woes. 

However, the Women's Maharani T20 Cup will go ahead as planned, and the Alur Cricket Ground will play host to all the fixtures. There was a proposal to host the final at  Chinnaswamy Stadium, but that seems highly unlikely with police approvals yet to come. Franchises have expressed their grievances to the governing body and have warned that the teams could face severe financial loss. Prior hotel bookings near the city center were made with the understanding that the tournament would be staged at M Chinnaswamy Stadium.

This obstacle puts KSCA in a tight spot. The ongoing probe into the stampede killing can further jeopardize KSCA's ability to host future tournaments such as the Women's ODI World Cup, which is scheduled to begin on September 30.

The highly anticipated Shriram Capital Maharaja Trophy KSCA T20 auction took place at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, featuring a pool of 240 talented cricketers. As teams geared up for the third edition of the tournament, set to commence on August 15th, the auction spotlight fell on Chethan LR, who emerged as the most expensive player. He was secured by the Bengaluru Blasters with a staggering bid of 8.2 lakhs. The auction witnessed significant bidding wars for experienced and budding talents, including notable acquisitions of IPL and state-level players.

Emerging talents and rising stars

The auction also highlighted several young and emerging talents. Among them was 18-year-old Samit Dravid, son of the legendary Rahul Dravid, who was secured by the Mysore Warriors for 0.5 lakhs. The Mysore Warriors also made strategic bids for Luvnith Sisodia, Mohd. Taha, and Lavish Kaushal, each commanding impressive sums beyond their base prices. Sisodia, one of the top scorers last season, was acquired by the Gulbarga Mystics for 7.2 lakhs, while Mohd Taha returned to the Hubli Tigers with a price tag of 6.6 lakhs.

In Category B, focusing on senior state players, the 23-year-old speedster Vidyadhar Patil was in high demand, ultimately secured by the Mysore Warriors for 6.4 lakhs. Goutham Mishra joined the Mysore Warriors for 2 lakhs, and the prolific Smaran R returned to the Gulbarga Mystics for 3.15 lakhs. The Shivamogga Lions made significant moves in Category C, acquiring bowling all-rounder Avinash D for 5.4 lakhs and Rajvir Wadhwa for 2.2 lakhs.

Top bids and notable acquisitions

Chethan LR’s acquisition was a major highlight, as the Bengaluru Blasters invested heavily in him following his impressive performances in previous seasons. Mayank Agarwal, the captain of Bengaluru Blasters, expressed excitement about Chethan’s addition, saying, “We are very happy to have Chethan LR as a part of our squad. He was a treasured find for the Bengaluru Blasters during the first season of the Maharaja Trophy, and I am looking forward to playing with him this season.”

In Category A, which features Indian and IPL players, Shreyas Gopal’s versatile skills were highly valued, fetching 7.6 lakhs from the Mangaluru Dragons, making him the most expensive purchase within the category. The Mysore Warriors made strategic moves by securing experienced all-rounder Krishnappa Gowtham for 7.4 lakhs, southpaw all-rounder J Suchith for 4.8 lakhs, and pacer Prasidh Krishna, who is not at full fitness, for 1 lakh. Other significant bids included KC Cariappa, acquired by the Hubli Tigers for 4.2 lakhs, and Praveen Dubey, who went to the Gulbarga Mystics for 6.8 lakhs. Despite recovering from an injury, wicketkeeper-batsman Sharath BR was snapped up by the Gulbarga Mystics for 1 lakh.

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The auction concluded with teams strategically building their rosters, setting the stage for an exciting tournament. As the competition approaches, fans eagerly anticipate witnessing both seasoned players and emerging talents showcasing their skills on the field.