KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad meets Karnataka CM, Dy CM; vows to bring back international cricket, IPL to Chinnaswamy Stadium

Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], December 10 (ANI): Newly elected President of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Venkatesh Prasad and the KSCA elected members on Wednesday met Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Prasad described the meeting with Karnataka's CM and DCM as "extremely positive" and "fruitful", saying they'll discuss in cabinet and assembly to bring back international cricket and IPL to iconic Chinnaswamy Stadium, pleasing fans after five decades.

Chinnaswamy Stadium hasn't hosted marquee matches since a stampede outside the ground that claimed 11 lives during the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) IPL victory celebration on June 4. BCCI also prefer to host the Duleep Trophy and 'A' series between India and South Africa at the Centre of Excellence.

The M Chinnaswamy Stadium was scheduled to host five ICC Women's ODI World Cup 2025 games, including the final. However, the games had to be moved out after KSCA operated without a treasurer and a secretary, who had resigned on moral grounds following the stampede.

"It was an extremely positive, extremely fruitful meeting we had with the CM and DCM. They have assured us that they are going to discuss this in tomorrow's cabinet, in the assembly and they are going to take a very positive decision in making these two things, international cricket and the IPL to come back to Chinnaswamy Stadium, which has been an iconic stadium for the last five decades, and bring back cricket so that our, you know, our fans would start appreciating and enjoying the whole game," Venkatesh Prasad told ANI.

Prasad was elected as the president of the KSCA on Sunday. Sujith Somasunder, who played two ODIs for India in 1996 and was head of education at the BCCI's Centre of Excellence, was elected vice-president of the KSCA.

Prasad won the election after the former Indian pacer received unanimous backing from Anil Kumble and Javagal Srinath, among others. Venkatesh defeated his rival, KN Shanth Kumar, by a 749-558 margin.

Karnataka's DCM DK Shivakumar wished the newly elected KSCA body a successful tenure and discussed ways to boost cricket infrastructure and the sport in Karnataka.

"Glad to meet the newly elected President of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), Shri Venkatesh Prasad, along with Shri Santhosh Menon, Shri Sujith Somasundar, Shri Vinay Mruthyunjaya and the team in Belagavi today. We had a constructive discussion on strengthening cricketing infrastructure and empowering the sport in Karnataka. Wishing them a productive and successful tenure," Karnataka DCM DK Shivakumar wrote in an X post. (ANI)

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