New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025, scheduled to be held on May 11, has been shifted to Ahmedabad from Dharamshala.
As per this, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host the clash on Sunday afternoon, instead of the HPCA Stadium in Dharamshala, which is the second home venue of PBKS.
“The venue change has been necessitated due to logistical challenges. The match will begin at 3:30 PM IST as per the original schedule,” added the BCCI in its statement on Thursday.
The BCCI’s decision to shift the game to Ahmedabad, the home venue of Gujarat Titans’ (GT), comes after Dharamshala is amongst various cities in North India whose airports are closed till May 10, after the launch of ‘Operation Sindoor’ by the Indian armed forces on May 7, which targeted nine terrorist sites across Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
With civilian air travel to and from Dharamsala being suspended, it had created logistical challenges for the BCCI in organising the smooth conduct of the May 11 clash between PBKS and MI.
Anil Patel, the Secretary of Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA), had confirmed to IANS on Thursday afternoon that they had accepted BCCI’s request to host the PBKS-MI clash.
“Yeah, we are hosting the Punjab-Mumbai IPL game. The BCCI had requested at the last minute, and we have accepted their request to host this game in Ahmedabad, as we can host it. We have also received a message from Mumbai that their side will be coming to Ahmedabad today evening.”
“But we are yet to receive a message on how the Punjab team will be arriving in Ahmedabad, though there’s a possibility of them coming via a chartered flight tomorrow morning,” he had said.
PBKS had made Dharamshala as its home base for three matches this season — against Lucknow Super Giants, which they won by 37 runs and will take on Delhi Capitals on Thursday evening, before playing their final home game in Ahmedabad.
PBKS are in third place in the points table with 15 points from 11 games, while MI are fourth with 14 points from 12 games. Both PBKS and MI are in serious contention to enter the IPL 2025 playoffs.
(IANS)
