'We banked on scientific material and inputs' - BCCI Secy Devajit Saikia reveals how Ahmedabad was chosen as IPL 2025 final venue

Published - 04 Jun 2025, 23:03 IST | Updated - 04 Jun 2025, 23:13 IST

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 final concluded without any interruptions, a significant relief given the looming threats from both geopolitical tensions and weather. But, it took proper planning, scientific data analysis, and smart decision-making by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to ensure the tournament ran its full course.

During the IPL Governing Council (GC) meeting held on May 20, BCCI officials found themselves playing the role of meteorologists, studying weather patterns across the country before finalising venues for the playoff matches - Qualifier 1, the Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final.

Initially, the playoffs were scheduled to be held in Hyderabad and Kolkata. However, due to a week-long pause caused by rising border tensions and shifts in weather conditions, the situation required reassessment.

The BCCI came into the GC meeting with weather forecasts for all IPL cities. The Eden Gardens in Kolkata, the original venue for the final, had a 65 percent chance of rain, while Ahmedabad showed just a three percent chance. As a result, the council decided to move the final to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.

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There was speculation that the shift to Ahmedabad was a political decision. But, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia addressed these concerns the day after the final and revealed that the decision was based entirely on scientific input.

“The decision was never political. We banked on scientific material and inputs. There was no forecast for rain in Ahmedabad at the time of GC,” Saikia said as quoted by Cricbuzz.

Notably, heavy rain hit Kolkata on the night of June 3 while the IPL final was underway in Ahmedabad. Although there was a light drizzle in Ahmedabad that same afternoon, the game between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Punjab Kings (PBKS) proceeded without any interruptions.

The Qualifier 2 was not entirely disrupted by the weather. The play on June 1 faced a two-hour delay due to rain, and ironically on that day Kolkata enjoyed clear skies. Despite the delay, the match between Mumbai Indians (MI) and PBKS went ahead without a single over being lost.