The Indian Premier League (IPL) Playoffs have been moved from Hyderabad and Kolkata to New Chandigarh and Ahmedabad. It turns out that Harbhajan Singh played a key role in this change. Sources say he worked hard to convince the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that New Chandigarh was a great spot for the matches, especially given the current weather.
Harbhajan really pushed for this. He got in touch with the important people at BCCI, showing them that New Chandigarh is ready with good facilities and excited fans. He was hands-on with site visits, pitch talks, and planning logistics, a source told IANS.
Since retiring, Harbhajan, now the Chief Cricketing Advisor of the Punjab Cricket Association, has been working to bring more cricket to Punjab, especially after Mohali lost its regular hosting role for big matches. With the new stadium in Mullanpur completed, he saw a chance to revive top-level cricket in the area.
The BCCI dropped the schedule for the IPL 2025 Playoffs on Tuesday. After 70 thrilling league matches, the action will move to the New PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh for Qualifier 1, featuring the top two teams on May 29. This will be followed by the Eliminator on May 30. Over in Ahmedabad, the Narendra Modi Stadium, the largest cricket stadium in the world, will host Qualifier 2 and the grand Final. Qualifier 2 is set for June 1, while the Final will take place on June 3. The IPL Governing Council chose the new venues based on weather and other factors.