Ahmedabad is set to host the IPL 2025 final at the Narendra Modi Stadium on June 3, following a series of meetings held by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday. The city will also stage Qualifier 2 on June 1.
Meanwhile, the first two playoff matches — Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator — will be held in Mullanpur, New Chandigarh, on May 29 and May 30 respectively. The BCCI’s key factor in selecting these venues was the weather, as monsoon conditions are gradually setting in across parts of India.
Prior to the official announcement on the continuation of IPL Season 18, a senior BCCI official noted that weather had become the major concern after the earlier disruptions due to the war. With unpredictable cloudbursts and unseasonal rains impacting various regions, the board aimed to minimise disruptions by carefully choosing venues less likely to be affected.
During the office-bearers’ and Governing Council meetings on May 20, weather forecasts for the next two weeks were reviewed, leading the BCCI to finalise Ahmedabad and New Chandigarh as the most reliable locations in terms of dry conditions.
It has also been reported that the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) had put forward Eden Gardens, Kolkata, as a candidate to host the final games, especially since the Kolkata Knight Riders are the defending champions.
Although Kolkata was initially considered, the BCCI revised its decision due to the shifting weather patterns. Originally, Hyderabad was scheduled to host the first two playoffs, but the BCCI decided to relocate those matches to North India, where the weather is currently more stable and less likely to disrupt play.
RCB vs SRH Clash Moved To Lucknow
At the same time, the BCCI has decided to relocate the clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) from the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru to the Ekana Stadium in Lucknow.
The fixture, originally scheduled for Friday, May 23, will still be treated as a home match for Royal Challengers Bengaluru, despite the change in venue.
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