Kamal Ghorui
Showing sensitivity, remembrance, and respect towards the 11 victims of the stampede tragedy in Bengaluru on June 4 last year during RCB’s maiden title celebrations, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to skip the traditional opening ceremony for IPL 2026. As a result, there will be no celebrations before the opening match of IPL 2026 between defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Sunrisers Hyderabad on Saturday night at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.However, the BCCI and its IPL Governing Council are planning a grand closing ceremony for 19th season of IPL on the day of the final, May 31, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia told TOI.“Due to last year’s tragic incident on June 4 last year, there will be no formal function on the day of the start of IPL-2026 (in Bengaluru). The BCCI is not organizing any cultural or entertainment show at the start of IPL-19 as a mark of respect to the departed souls due to that tragedy on June 4, 2025. However, the BCCI and the IPL Governing Council are planning a grand entertainment function at the closing of the IPL, on the day of the final (May 31),” Saikia told to TOI. Last year, a grand opening ceremony was held at Eden Gardens in Kolkata, featuring performances by superstar Shah Rukh Khan, singers Shreya Ghoshal and Karan Aujla, along with a dance performance by actress Disha Patani.In 2019, following the Pulwama attack that claimed the lives of around 40 CRPF personnel, the BCCI then run by the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) had also scrapped the opening ceremony of IPL 12 and donated the allocated funds to the families of the victims. Saikia had earlier stated that the BCCI will announce the schedule for the remaining matches of the IPL “very soon.”The IPL 2026 season will begin on March 28, with Sunrisers Hyderabad taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
