New Delhi: Ahmedabad will host the IPL final for a second successive season May 31, replacing the “originally designated” Bengaluru, the BCCI announced Wednesday while allotting Qualifier 1 to Dharamsala and two other playoff games to New Chandigarh.
Bengaluru was to host the final going by convention as Royal Challengers Bengaluru are the defending champions. Apart from last year, Ahmedabad has previously hosted the IPL finale in 2022 and 2023.
“Bengaluru was originally designated to host the Final. However, owing to certain requirements from the local association and authorities that were beyond the scope of BCCI’s established guidelines and protocols, the venue has been shifted and reassigned,” the Board stated in a press release without specifying the exact requirements in the Karnataka capital.
The Board also said it is increasing the playoff stage venues to three as a special case this year “owing to certain operational and logistical considerations.”
“Qualifier 1, featuring the top two teams in the standings, will be played May 26 at the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, with a direct berth in the Final at stake,” the BCCI stated in the press release.
“The action will then move to the New International Cricket Stadium in New Chandigarh, which will host the Eliminator May 27 between the third and fourth-placed teams. The same venue will also stage Qualifier 2 May 29,” it added.
Dharamsala would be hosting an IPL playoff game for the first time.
Qualifier 2 will feature the loser of Qualifier 1 and the winner of the Eliminator to determine the second finalist.
“The season will conclude with the grand Final May 31 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad — the world’s largest cricket stadium — setting the stage for a spectacular finale,” the Board said.
Sources in the BCCI said Ahmedabad was preferred because of its massive capacity, which would ensure higher footfalls.
It is also learnt that the Board does not agree with the Karnataka government’s decision to have a quota of three complimentary IPL tickets each for the state’s MLAs, MLCs and MPs this season, given the relatively low capacity of the venue.
The M Chinnaswamy Stadium can hold around 35,000 spectators, and it was the site of a deadly stampede last year in which 11 people lost their lives during RCB’s trophy celebrations.
Playoffs Schedule:
Qualifier 1: May 26 HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala
Eliminator: May 27 New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
Qualifier 2: May 29 New International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh
Final May: 31 Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.
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