IPL 2025: Why BCCI shifts venue for grand finale out of Kolkata? Reason explained

The BCCI announced the venues for the IPL 2025 playoffs. Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium will host the final, while Qualifier 1 and Eliminator will be in Mullanpur. Kolkata was dropped as the final venue due to weather concerns.

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BCCI announces new venues for IPL 2025 playoffs

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has announced the venues for the IPL 2025 playoffs, including Qualifier 1 and 2, Eliminator and Grand Finale, on Tuesday, May 20.

IPL 2025 resumed on Saturday after a week-long suspension due to cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan, with Royal Challengers Bangalore and Kolkata Knight Riders scheduled to play at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, which was abandoned without a toss because of persistent rain.

As the season has reached its business end, the BCCI decided to announce the venues for the playoffs. When the revised schedule for the season resumption was announced, the board did not reveal the venues for the playoffs. The league stage will conclude on May 25 and the playoffs will begin on May 27, with Qualifier 1, followed by the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 on May 31 and June 1, respectively. The final of IPL 2025 will take place on June 3, pushed back from the originally scheduled date of May 25.

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Ahmedabad to host the IPL 2025 Final

The BCCI announced that Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium will host the Grand Finale on June 3. As per the original schedule, Kolkata was supposed to host the final as the Kolkata Knight Riders were winners of the previous IPL season. Additionally, Kolkata was not selected among six venues where the remaining matches of the tournament will take place.

“The excitement will elevate further as Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium, the world's largest cricket stadium in the world will host an electrifying Qualifier 2 and the grand Final.” BCCI statement read.

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Eliminator and Qualifier 1 in Mullanpur

Meanwhile, the IPL 2025 Eliminator and Qualifier 1 will take place at Mullanpur in New Chandigarh. Originally, two knockout matches were supposed to take place at Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Kolkata.

“After 70 action-packed league-stage matches filled with energy, drama, thrill, and entertainment; the spotlight will shift to the New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh as it gears up to host the much-awaited Qualifier 1 - featuring the top-two ranked sides on Thursday, May 29th followed by an engrossing Eliminator clash on Friday, 30th May," BCCI statement added.

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Why was Kolkata dropped as a venue for the Final?

There were demands by the people in Kolkata to have the grand finale to be held at Iconic Eden Gardens Stadium in Kolkata on June 3. Even Sourav Ganguly stated that Cricket Association of Bengal were in talks with BCCI to bring the final back to Eden Gardens after 10 years. However, the BCCI stated that the new venues for the playoffs were decided by keeping in mind the weather conditions.

As per Accuweather, Kolkata is expected to experience rainfall throughout day and night on June 3, the day of the IPL 2025 Final. Kolkata is likely to experience 27 degree Celsius during the night, as the final will take place at 7:30 PM. The possibility of precipitation and thunderstorms will likely be at 65% and 36%, respectively, which means the risk of rain interruption was too high for the BCCI to overlook.

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Teams to qualify for the playoffs

Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings have officially qualified for the playoffs of the IPL 2025. Their qualifications were confirmed after Gujarat Titans trounced Delhi Capitals by 10 wickets. Now, the battle for the fourth and final playoff spot is between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals and the two will lock horns with each other at Mumbai’s Wankhede Stadium on May 21 in what is effectively a virtual knockout.

Meanwhile, the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders, Lucknow Super Giants, Chennai Super Kings, Rajasthan Royals, and Sunrisers Hyderabad have been knocked out of the tournament.