KSCA Disappointed as Bengaluru Misses Out on IPL 2026 Playoffs and Final

The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has shared its disappointment after Bengaluru was not chosen to host the IPL 2026 playoffs or the final. The board instead gave the matches to Mullanpur, Dharamsala, and Ahmedabad.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the KSCA said it had told the BCCI that Bengaluru was fully ready and very keen to host the playoff games at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium. KSCA president Venkatesh Prasad personally spoke to the BCCI about this.

“At the outset, KSCA expresses its disappointment that the IPL Playoff matches have been allotted to other centres,” the association said. It also noted that the five league matches held in Bengaluru this season went very well. “The IPL matches conducted in Bengaluru during the current season were widely appreciated for their smooth execution, crowd management, operational efficiency, and overall spectator experience.”

The BCCI decided to hold the playoffs in Dharamsala and Mullanpur, both home grounds of last year’s runners-up Punjab Kings. The final will be in Ahmedabad for the fourth time in five years. Many people expected Bengaluru, home of defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru, to get the final as per usual practice.

The BCCI explained its decision by saying, “Owing to certain operational and logistical considerations, the TATA IPL 2026 Playoffs will be conducted across three venues this season as a special case.” It added that some demands from the local association and authorities were beyond BCCI’s normal rules.

But the KSCA said its talks with the board were only about facts and operations. It wanted to be clear about what is needed to host big matches. The association also said the way matches are run in Bengaluru has not changed since IPL began in 2008.

“We fully respect the right of the BCCI to make such decisions,” the KSCA said, even though the board did not give them any clear reason for saying no.

It is worth noting that the Chinnaswamy Stadium was cleared to hold IPL matches this year after a full safety check. This came after a sad stampede last year during RCB’s victory celebration. The BCCI has also given Bengaluru two international matches later this year – a T20I against Sri Lanka in October and an ODI against West Indies in December.

The league matches in Bengaluru this season went smoothly, except for some small issues around VIP ticket requests from the state government.

The KSCA ended by saying it is still fully ready and committed to hosting big matches in the future and will keep supporting the BCCI in every way.

                                               

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