Royal Challengers Bengaluru players huddle together (PTI Photo/Sailendra Bhojak) Bengaluru: Ten months after the Indian Premier League’s last match at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, cricket returned to Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s home ground on Saturday with renewed vigor – and a revamped fan experience.Amid the noise, however, memories of last year’s tragedy lingered. The 11 seats dedicated to those who lost their lives during RCB’s victory celebrations stood out – enclosed by a picket fence and decorated with floral motifs on a white background – a quiet reminder in the charged atmosphere.
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RCB’s big changes ahead of IPL: New rules, tribute and squad update Outside the stadium, activity picked up early. As soon as the gates opened around 3:30 p.m., spectators began pouring in, many of them arriving early enough to get through the improved last-minute entry system without any problems.The excitement was not limited to local fans. Curtis P, an Infosys employee from Florida, was among a group of five colleagues from across the United States who planned their visit around the game.“I’m a big cricket fan and have been going to India to watch the matches for a while now. We had a business trip planned and timed it to coincide with this match,” said Curtis.For several regulars, the changes translated into a smoother experience. Vishwanath Reddy, a former army officer and long-time participant, was impressed.“It was perhaps the smoothest entry for us in more than three decades. The police ensured that only valid ticket holders got to the gates and kept people moving instead of crowds building up. I hope this becomes the norm,” he said.However, not everyone had a smooth start. For some, not knowing updated security protocols led to inconvenience.Vinaya V, who came with her daughter Mairah, found the restrictions frustrating. “We didn’t know digital watches weren’t allowed. We had to walk quite a distance to put them at the baggage counter and then come back,” she said.RCB fan Santosh Udupa had a similar experience. “I was taken aback when they said I couldn’t carry the keys. After some discussion they allowed me the house keys but I had to store the car keys because of the sensors,” he said.Many others who overlooked the fine print on banned items were seen arguing with security staff after being prevented from carrying items such as bags, perfumes and cosmetics inside.Despite these minor hiccups, the overall arrangement saw a marked improvement. More than 2,000 personnel – including city police, CCB, transport and civil defense personnel – were deployed to control the crowds.The mock drills carried out over the past 10 days appeared to have paid off, with entry points operating largely without glitches and security personnel ensuring there was no loitering on the stadium premises. With access largely via Cubbon Road, Queen’s Road was free of the usual matchday congestion.Before the start of the game, the packed stadium stopped to honor the victims. Both teams and fans observed a minute’s silence and the message ‘Forever in our hearts’ was displayed on the big screens – a moment of shared remembrance before cricket took center stage.See also: IPL Scores
