The Indian Premier League 2025 final was initially set to take place at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens stadium, but it’s now been moved to Ahmedabad. Rajiv Shukla, vice president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, weighed in on the decision, saying it wasn’t made with any political motives in mind.
Shukla explained that if the IPL schedule hadn’t been postponed by a week, the final would have still been in Kolkata, with the playoffs in Hyderabad. However, after the schedule change, the weather forecast became a concern. Broadcasters pointed out that Kolkata’s weather forecast looked bad for those days, with a high chance of the match being washed out. As a result, the match was moved to a location with a lower risk of rain.
After reviewing all options and considering the weather reports, Chandigarh and Ahmedabad emerged as the top choices, with the lowest likelihood of rain. Shukla emphasized that this decision wasn’t a one-off, citing previous instances where matches were shifted from other locations, including Hyderabad. He insisted that there was no political agenda behind the move.
This comes after West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee spoke out about the IPL final being moved from Kolkata, saying she doesn’t need to promote herself and lives by high standards. Banerjee also criticized the Indian government, questioning why all the matches were being held in Gujarat and why other states like Karnataka, Kerala, and Bengal weren’t hosting any matches.
Responding to Banerjee’s comments, Shukla emphasized the importance of keeping the IPL separate from politics, reiterating that the decision to move the final was based solely on practical considerations, not political motivations.
Key Points:
- The IPL 2025 final has been moved from Kolkata to Ahmedabad.
- Rajiv Shukla says the decision was made due to weather concerns, not political motives.
- Previous instances of match shifts, including from Hyderabad, have occurred without political agendas.
- Mamata Banerjee criticized the decision, questioning the concentration of matches in Gujarat.
Context:
The Indian Premier League is a major cricket tournament, and decisions about match locations can have significant implications for teams, fans, and local economies. The schedule change and subsequent relocation of the final match have sparked debate about the factors influencing such decisions.