Lucknow: The upcoming International Cricket Stadium in Varanasi is likely to host a few Indian Premier League (IPL) matches in 2027, as officials from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and broadcast teams recently inspected the venue.According to Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association (UPCA) sources, the visit took place around 20 days ago as part of preparations to assess the stadium for major cricketing events.The venue, which will be handed over to the UPCA by Larsen & Toubro next month, is being seen as a potential new cricket hub in Uttar Pradesh.There has also been speculation that the stadium could host Women’s Premier League (WPL) matches in the upcoming season; however, this will largely depend on weather conditions.“There is a strong possibility that a few IPL matches may be shifted to the Kashi stadium in the future,” a senior UPCA official said.Before hosting major events, the stadium is set to stage domestic cricket fixtures. The UPCA has scheduled two Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy matches at the venue. Uttar Pradesh will face Puducherry from Dec 3 to 6, followed by a match against Chhattisgarh from Dec 11 to 14.The UPCA is also likely to organise a camp before the matches to assess the pitch and ground conditions.After Green Park and Ekana Stadium, the new venue is expected to put Kashi on the nation’s cricketing map.