The Indian Premier League final has been moved from Bengaluru to Ahmedabad, the BCCI announced Wednesday. Citing operational and logistical issues, the board said the decision followed requirements from local authorities that fell beyond their established guidelines.
Last year's celebration at Chinnaswamy Stadium turned tragic when a stampede killed 11 people after Royal Challengers Bengaluru's maiden title win. The local government had since reviewed safety protocols before allowing Bengaluru to host games this season, including the originally scheduled May 31 final.
According to the new playoff schedule, Dharamsala hosts the first qualifier on May 26, followed by the eliminator and second qualifier in New Chandigarh. The final will be played at Ahmedabad's 132,000-seater Narendra Modi Stadium, which has hosted the 2023 World Cup and 2024 T20 World Cup finals. This will be the fourth IPL final at the venue in five years.