What is the New IPL 2025 Schedule and Where Will the Final be Played?

The 2025 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been officially suspended with the decision taken on Friday, May 9, due to rising cross-border tensions between India and Pakistan. As per the reports, the remaining matches of IPL 2025 will resume after a week's gap, and the teams have been informed about the same.

Notably, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) held urgent meetings on Thursday night to discuss the situation. Sources reveal the BCCI did not want to continue the league under the current national mood. The ongoing political situation has created tension and concern across the country. As a result, the board felt that suspending the tournament was the right step in this situation.

Many overseas players had started to panic and wanted to leave immediately. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who were in Lucknow for their match against Lucknow Super Giants, expressed their wish to leave the city and return home. The RCB team flew out of Lucknow quickly. Mumbai Indians, who reached Ahmedabad on Thursday night, also returned. Gujarat Titans, who were in Delhi, also left soon.

IPL Rescheduled

The IPL rescheduled dates have been finalised by the BCCI. The tournament will begin on 17th May and the final will be held on June 3. Earlier, there were speculations that the tournament might be conducted during the Asia Cup window, with the continental championship looking difficult to be held now due to the tensions between India and Pakistan.

The Asia Cup is scheduled to be held in India, with Pakistan playing its matches outside the country in a hybrid model. The exact IPL 2025 new dates were announced by the BCCI on Monday evening.

Later, the BCCI also announced the venues for the playoffs and the final. In a big change, it was decided that the playoffs will be held in Mullanpur and Ahmedabad. Earlier, Kolkata and Hyderabad were scheduled to host the playoffs, with Kolkata being awarded the final due to KKR's triumph last year.

However, in a sudden change of actions, the board announced that Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator will be held in Punjab's Mullanpur while Qualifier 2 and the final will take place at Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.

PBKS vs DC Called Off In Dharamsala

The sudden decision to suspend the IPL came a day after a match between Punjab Kings (PBKS) and Delhi Capitals (DC) was postponed. The match was scheduled to be held in Dharamsala but was called off due to safety concerns. This happened after eight missiles were reportedly fired from Pakistan. Fortunately, all missiles were blocked by India’s air defence system.

Earlier, the PBKS vs Mumbai Indians game had already been shifted to Ahmedabad. This was after the Indian government closed the airspace in Dharamsala and nearby areas. After the PBKS vs DC match was cancelled, both teams returned to their hotels. On Friday morning, the players, officials, and broadcasters left Dharamsala on a special train. BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla confirmed.

“We are organising a train to bring everyone back safely. The match has been called off, and the stadium has been evacuated. We will take a final call on the tournament based on tomorrow’s situation. But the safety of players is our top priority,” said Shukla.

No IPL stadium or venue has been directly attacked or under threat. However, the overall mood in the country led to this big decision. The BCCI wants to respect public emotions and keep everyone safe. The IPL rescheduled dates will be out in a few days by the governing council.

Many foreign players had also reached out to the BCCI and the Indian government. They asked for assurances about their safety in the country. This pressure may have added to the board’s decision to pause the tournament. Gujarat Titans and Mumbai Indians had reached Delhi and Ahmedabad before the official suspension was announced. It remains to be seen how many overseas players will be available for the remainder of the tournament in the IPL 2025 new dates.