IPL 2026: RCB to honour victims with unique No. 11 initiative, says CEO

RCB CEO Rajesh Menon reveals a heartfelt tribute for IPL 2026, with players training under No. 11 and the franchise permanently reserving 11 seats in memory of stampede victims.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

The Indian Premier League (IPL) saw a tragic incident last yearwhen 11 people lost their lives in the stampede that happened near the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru. After winning the trophy, the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) franchise decided to host a victory parade in Bengaluru, inviting the fans from across the city. Due to the increased number of fans, there was a stampede that led to the loss of lives.

To commemorate the tragic loss, the KSCA and the franchise owners have decided to unveil a memorial plaque near the inner entrance of the stadium. Apart from that, the players will wear black armbands and observe a minute’s silence on the match day. They will wear No. 11 on their jerseys during pre-match practice sessions. Most importantly, the franchise has decided to keep 11 seats reserved for life inside the stadium.

“In memory of the 11 fans we lost on June 4th, the players will be wearing jersey No. 11 for the practice match. Apart from that, they’ll be wearing a black arm-band on that day. We are also looking at having 11 permanent seats empty in Chinnaswamy Stadium forever, This is for those 11 fans who will be with us forever,” said RCB CEO Rajesh Menon.

Also read: Who is Saurabh Dubey, the left-arm pacer who replaced Akash Deep in the KKR squad for IPL 2026?

KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad reveals plans ahead of IPL 2026

After RCB CEO, KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad also mentioned about their plans ahead of the upcoming season. He clearly stated that they don’t want to rekindle the pain, but want to remember the fans who lost their lives. Hence, they have planned to honor the memories of the 11 fans.

“It is painful to even think about the tragic incident. But we have been discussing the memorial for a while with the managing committee and other major stakeholders and collectively felt it was important to honour the memory of the 11 people. We don’t want to rekindle any pain; instead, remember them. That’s why we decided to place an epitaph of the cricket fans whose lives were cut short tragically,” said KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad as quoted by TOI.

Also read: IPL 2026 jersey guide: Where to buy jersey of each team, prices, and new kit designs

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