Karnataka, March 27 -- Ahead of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 opener at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, former Indian cricketer and President of the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) Venkatesh Prasad met Karnataka Deputy CM DK Shivakumar on Friday.

The IPL 2026 season at Chinnaswamy Stadium will kick off on March 28, with defending champion Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) facing Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). The Karnataka government gave the nod to conduct IPL matches at the venue after months of uncertainty owing to the stampede on June 4, 2025.

KSCA has been carrying out extensive renovations at the venue, including the installation of new entry gates, widening existing ones, and upgrading peripheral infrastruct...