New Delhi: Bengaluru’s role as a key venue for the ICC Women’s ODI World Cup 2025 is in jeopardy, with reports suggesting that matches may be shifted out of the city due to pending government clearance.
The tournament, scheduled from September 30 to November 2 in India, had originally allotted four fixtures to the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. This included the high-profile opener between India and Sri Lanka on September 30, the England–South Africa clash on October 4, the final league game between India and Bangladesh on October 26, and the second semifinal on October 30. If Pakistan fail to qualify for the final, the stadium was also set to host the title match on November 2.
However, according to Cricbuzz, the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) is still awaiting the state government’s approval to stage the matches. The delay stems from the aftermath of the tragic June stampede during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL victory celebrations, which claimed 11 lives. The incident is under judicial review, and authorities have been cautious in granting permissions for large sporting events in the city.
“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 told Cricbuzz, adding that there is still time before a final decision is made.
As a precaution, the KSCA has already moved the Maharaja Cup T20 tournament from Bengaluru to Mysuru.
Apart from Bengaluru, the Women’s World Cup will also be played at Guwahati’s Barsapara Cricket Stadium, Indore’s Holkar Stadium, Visakhapatnam’s ACA-VDCA Stadium, and Colombo’s R. Premadasa Stadium — the latter also being the designated final venue if Pakistan qualify.
Eight teams — India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand, South Africa, and Australia — will compete in the tournament, with cricket fans now anxiously awaiting confirmation on whether Bengaluru will retain its marquee fixtures.
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