Syed Kirmani, a legendary India wicketkeeper and 1983 World Cup winner, expressed his shock and disappointment over the tragic stampede that occurred during Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s IPL title celebration at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium. He described it as a “deadly welcome” for the newly crowned champions and emphasized the difference between the controlled fandom of his playing days and the frenzied following seen in the current IPL era.
The event, organized by RCB management and the Karnataka government, turned fatal due to overwhelming, unregulated crowds, resulting in the loss of 11 lives and injuries to nearly 50 people. Kirmani questioned the timing and management of the celebrations, suggesting that the felicitation of RCB’s maiden IPL triumph could have been better planned and executed with proper crowd control.
He also criticized the intensity of modern cricket fandom, pointing out the unprecedented situations arising from the changing nature of the game. Kirmani highlighted the massive turnout of fans at IPL events and questioned whether the same level of enthusiasm would be seen for other cricket tournaments like the Ranji Trophy. Overall, he called for more responsible and thoughtful handling of such celebrations to avoid tragic incidents like the Bengaluru stampede.
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