Ahmedabad to host IPL final after Bengaluru switch

NEW DELHI: The Indian Premier League final will be held in Ahmedabad on May 31 instead of Bengaluru as originally planned, the country’s cricket board said Wednesday.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said the venue was shifted because of “certain requirements” from local authorities and the state association.

Bengaluru was cleared to host five games this IPL season despite a stampede last year outside its main cricket stadium that killed 11 young fans.

Qualifier 1, featuring the top two teams in the standings, will be played on May 26 at Dharamsala, with a direct berth in the final at stake.

Chandigarh will host the Eliminator on May 27 between the third and fourth-placed teams. The same venue will also stage Qualifier 2 on May 29, where the loser of Qualifier 1 will face the winner of the Eliminator to determine the second finalist.

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The title clash will be held at Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Stadium, the world’s largest cricket stadium with a capacity of 130,000.

The IPL, the world’s richest cricket league, attracts leading international players and is broadcast globally, with several franchises backed by Bollywood stars.

It is also a top revenue earner for the BCCI and was estimated in 2020 to generate more than $11 billion a year for the Indian economy.