The IPL has announced a key venue change for Royal Challengers Bengaluru’s (RCB) final league match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), relocating the May 23 clash from Bengaluru to Lucknow due to persistent heavy rainfall in South India. The move follows a yellow alert issued by the meteorological department, warning of “heavy to very heavy rain” in the region through Thursday.
RCB, whose previous match against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) was washed out without a ball bowled, have been hampered by continuous storms that have left Bengaluru waterlogged. This relocation ensures RCB’s final two fixtures—against SRH and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 27—will now both take place at Lucknow’s Ekana Stadium, offering them a more stable path to securing a top-two playoff spot.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, who had just played LSG in Lucknow on May 19, were advised to remain in the city instead of traveling to Bengaluru as originally scheduled.
In another major update, the IPL playoffs will no longer be hosted in Hyderabad and Kolkata. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has confirmed that the playoff stage has been shifted to Mullanpur (New Chandigarh) and Ahmedabad. Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator will take place at Mullanpur on May 29 and 30, respectively, while Ahmedabad will host Qualifier 2 and the IPL 2025 Final on June 1 and June 3.
The venue adjustments were made by the IPL Governing Council in response to the ongoing weather challenges and other logistical considerations.
As of now, Gujarat Titans, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings have secured their spots in the playoffs. The final berth will be decided between Mumbai Indians and Delhi Capitals in what promises to be a high-stakes finish to the league stage.
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