The Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) has expressed strong disappointment over the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) indecisiveness regarding the venue for the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final. The match, which was originally scheduled to take place at Kolkata’s iconic Eden Gardens on May 25, is now rescheduled to June 3 following a week-long suspension of the tournament due to heightened cross-border tensions with Pakistan.
Although the IPL 2025 will resume on May 17, the BCCI has yet to confirm the new venue for the final match. The delay has caused unrest within the CAB, especially since Eden Gardens is the home ground of the defending champions, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR).
Reports suggest that the BCCI is considering relocating the final from Kolkata due to weather concerns during early June. However, officials from the CAB are calling this stance "unfair" and have pushed back, stating that weather forecasts so far in advance are unreliable. In a bid to retain the hosting rights, the CAB submitted meteorological data from both the Regional and Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), emphasizing that no accurate long-term prediction can be made for June 3. “We remain confident that things will work out because we have done a very good job in organising everything,” a CAB source was quoted as saying by RevSportz. “Also, you can’t predict weather patterns so early, and we have submitted all official documents to this effect.”
CAB believes that the BCCI’s move, if confirmed, would not only be a setback for Kolkata but also an unjust decision given the planning and preparation that has gone into organizing the event locally. The Eden Gardens, one of India’s most prestigious cricket stadiums, has previously hosted several high-profile matches, including IPL playoffs and finals. The IPL was suspended on May 8 following the cancellation of the Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals match amid escalating tensions with Pakistan. With the ceasefire agreement now in place, BCCI has revised the league’s schedule. The tournament will resume with Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on KKR in Bengaluru on May 17.
As per the updated itinerary, league matches will now take place across six venues: Bengaluru, Jaipur, Delhi, Lucknow, Ahmedabad, and Mumbai. The BCCI is yet to finalize venues for the playoff stages, adding to the suspense around the grand finale. With mounting pressure from CAB and fans in Kolkata, all eyes are on the BCCI to see if Eden Gardens will retain its status as the grand stage for IPL 2025’s concluding match or if a last-minute venue change is on the cards.
