rcb title celebrations

After Madan Lal, another 1983 World Cup winner slams RCB, calls Bengaluru stampede tragedy a ‘deadly welcome’

Danijones2 days ago04 mins

Legendary India wicketkeeper Syed Kirmani has voiced his dismay over the tragic stampede that marred Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebration at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, calling it a “deadly welcome” for the newly crowned champions. The 1983 World Cup winner also drew a stark contrast between the controlled, grounded fandom of his playing days and the frenzied following seen in the IPL era. Fans throng near the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on June 4, 2025, to celebrate a day after the victory of Royal Challengers Bengaluru in the Indian Premier League (IPL) final(AFP) The victory event, jointly held by the RCB management and the Karnataka government, turned fatal as massive, unregulated crowds overwhelmed the venue’s security capacity. At least 11 people lost their lives, and nearly 50 were injured in the chaos. Kirmani, deeply moved by the tragedy, questioned both the timing and the management of the celebrations. “My condolences to bereaved families. This was a deadly welcome to IPL champions. In our times, there was no such media hype and there was no TV and there was no such thing which could lead to such things,” Kirmani told India Today. Kirmani, who represented India in 88 Test matches, felt that the felicitation of RCB’s maiden IPL triumph could have waited a little longer, allowing for better planning and crowd control. He stressed that such an important moment should not have been rushed. “On that count, I suppose if RCB waited for 17 (18) years to become champions and organisers, whosoever it may be, could have waited for a while for things to settle down and then organise a show to felicitate these great heroes of RCB.” Madan Lal had earlier bashed RCB for not waiting a little longer to organise the title celebrations. Kirmani on fandom The former wicketkeeper didn’t shy away from questioning the intensity of today’s cricket fandom, highlighting how the game’s changing nature has led to situations previously unheard of. “The fans of our times were not as crazy as fans of today, and especially in the IPL, the crazy fans are unimaginable, particularly as you could see lakhs and lakhs were around just to get a glimpse of these great heroes,” said Kirmani. He further posed a thought-provoking question on whether the same crowd would have shown up if Karnataka had won the Ranji Trophy, suggesting that the growing glamour and media spectacle around the IPL has fundamentally altered how fans connect with the sport.

‘How can BCCI be held responsible?’: IPL chairman says board had ‘no control’ as stampede hits RCB’s Bengaluru event

Danijones2 days ago05 mins

Jun 05, 2025 07:18 AM IST Arun Dhumal, the IPL chairman, had a strong response on the stampede outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru during RCB’s title-winning celebrations. The BCCI has clarified that it had no role in organising the Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) post-title celebration in the city, which turned tragic after a stampede outside the venue left at least 11 people dead and nearly 50 injured. RCB’s victory in IPL 2025 ended an 18-year drought and brought the city to a standstill. Thousands of fans gathered outside the M Chinnaswamy Stadium to celebrate the historic win, but the sheer volume of the crowd overwhelmed the arrangements, leading to chaos and fatalities. The event, however, continued inside the packed stadium despite the tragedy unfolding just outside. A number of shoes and slippers lying outside Chinnaswamy Stadium after a stampede during Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB)’s victory celebrations(ANI Grab ) IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal expressed deep sorrow over the incident but was firm in stating that the BCCI could not be held accountable. “It is sad and tragic. The celebrations turned into a tragedy. Our heartfelt condolences go to the families who lost their loved ones. For the BCCI, the IPL concluded last night. We had no knowledge of such an incident occurring, so how can we be held responsible for it?” Dhumal told India Today. He also pointed out the lack of involvement or presence of IPL officials during the event. “How can we be held responsible for something like this? It is indeed a very tragic incident, and we extend our deepest condolences. But we cannot be held accountable for something over which we had no control. I am not certain if the stampede occurred directly outside the stadium—I have no specific knowledge of that. Have you seen any IPL officials present at the gate, managing the crowd or facilitating the players’ entry?” asked Dhumal. In contact with RCB officials Dhumal revealed that upon learning of the incident, he contacted RCB officials and asked for the event to be wrapped up. “Have I been in touch with RCB officials? Yes, as soon as I was informed about the incident, I spoke to them. They told me they were inside the stadium and had no knowledge of what was happening outside. Based on that conversation, I was told they immediately called off the event,” Dhumal added. Earlier, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia had also issued a response on the tragedy. “I think there were some lapses. The BCCI has no role in it. But it’s a lesson to learn. We will look into forming new rules for such victory celebrations going forward,” Saikia had said. News / Cricket News / ‘How can BCCI be held responsible?’: IPL chairman says board had ‘no control’ as stampede hits RCB’s Bengaluru event See Less