RCB Commemorates Fans Lost in 2025 Stampede with Permanent Tribute
A Heartfelt Tribute at M Chinnaswamy Stadium
On Saturday, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) paid tribute to the fans who tragically lost their lives in the 2025 stampede by designating 11 seats at M Chinnaswamy Stadium as a permanent memorial. This gesture coincided with their opening match of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
These seats will remain vacant for all future IPL and international matches, symbolizing the club's respect for the deceased fans.
Moment of Silence and Remembrance
Prior to the IPL 2026 opener, players from both RCB and SRH observed a minute of silence to honor the fans who lost their lives in the tragic event. The stampede occurred during the celebrations following RCB's first IPL title victory, resulting in the deaths of 11 fans and injuries to many others. Cricket activities at M Chinnaswamy Stadium had been halted since June 2025.
During the match against SRH, RCB players also wore black armbands as a sign of mourning.
Official Statement from RCB
In an official statement, RCB expressed, "Royal Challengers Bengaluru will pay tribute to the eleven members of the RCB family who tragically lost their lives in the unfortunate incident on June 4."
"As a mark of respect, players will wear practice jerseys featuring the number 11 during warm-ups, followed by black armbands during the match. Additionally, eleven seats at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium will remain unoccupied, serving as a permanent tribute to the fans whose unwavering support will always be a part of the RCB family," the statement concluded.
IPL 2026 Opener: Match Insights
In the IPL 2026 opener, Bengaluru won the toss and opted to field against SRH at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Ishan Kishan, at 27 years and 253 days, became the second-youngest captain in the franchise's history, following Kane Williamson, who was 27 years and 244 days old in 2018.
Playing XI for Both Teams
Here are the playing elevens for both teams:
Sunrisers Hyderabad: Abhishek Sharma, Travis Head, Ishan Kishan (w/c), Heinrich Klaasen, Aniket Verma, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Salil Arora, Harsh Dubey, Harshal Patel, Jaydev Unadkat, Eshan Malinga.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru: Virat Kohli, Philip Salt, Rajat Patidar (c), Jitesh Sharma (w), Tim David, Romario Shepherd, Krunal Pandya, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Abhinandan Singh, Jacob Duffy, Suyash Sharma.