Congress MLA Kashappanavar Vijayananda Shivashankarappa has levelled serious allegations against the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA), accusing the body of selling IPL 2026 tickets on the black market instead of distributing them to legislators and their families.
The controversy comes ahead of the IPL 2026 opener on March 28 in Bengaluru, where defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru are set to take on Sunrisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Shivashankarappa claimed that despite being entitled to complimentary tickets, MLAs and ministers have not been provided access to the match.
“There is an IPL match going to start on the 28th of this month. Karnataka State Cricket Association has not provided the tickets for the MLAs, ministers, and their families. They are taking all the facilities from the government… but they are not respecting the MLAs. They are not issuing the tickets… They are selling it in black. One ticket, which costs ₹5,000, we are buying it for ₹35,000,” he said while speaking to the media.
Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the schedule for the opening phase of IPL 2026, set to be played from March 28 to April 12.
A total of 20 matches will be held across 10 venues in the first phase, including Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad, and Hyderabad. The tournament will also feature four double-headers, with afternoon matches starting at 3:30 PM IST and evening games at 7:30 PM IST.
Following the season opener, Mumbai Indians will face Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium. The first double-header is scheduled for April 4, with Delhi Capitals taking on Mumbai Indians, followed by Gujarat Titans facing Rajasthan Royals.
Franchises have also finalised their home venues for the season. RCB will play five matches in Bengaluru and two in Raipur, while Punjab Kings will split their home games between New Chandigarh and Dharamshala. Rajasthan Royals will host matches in both Guwahati and Jaipur.
The allegations have added a layer of controversy ahead of what is expected to be a high-profile start to IPL 2026.