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IPL 2016: Bengaluru to host final as change in venues announced

Chinnaswamy Stadium will now replace the Wankhede as the setting for the finale.

All the confusion surrounding the modification of the schedule and reallocation of key fixtures in the IPL has been put to rest. In a recent development, IPLT20.com confirmed the shifting of venues for the cash-rich tournament.

The Chinnaswamy Stadium has been assigned the final while the Feroz Shah Kotla will now host the eliminator. Both qualifiers have also been allocated to the same venues in Bengaluru and Delhi.

Due to the unfortunate drought situation in Maharashtra, Mumbai Indians, and Rising Pune Supergiants will now use the Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Stadium in Vizag for their home matches.

The press release also clarified, “The IPL GC extended gratitude towards the Government of Rajasthan and thanked the Rajasthan Sports Minister Mr. Gajendra Singh Khimsar for the efforts to get the Sawai Mansingh Cricket Stadium ready for hosting the matches.”

“However, due to paucity of time and uncertainty surrounding whether the matches will be held or not, the IPL GC decided that Vizag will be neutral venue for both Mumbai Indians and Rising Pune Supergiants.”

The modified schedule will also mean that the timing for a couple of matches are also revised. Earlier, the contest between Kings XI Punjab and Sunrisers Hyderabad was slated to be held at 20:00 local time while the Mumbai Indians – Delhi Daredevils match was slotted in at 16:00 local time. Though the timings of both matches will be reversed, they will still be played on May 15.

After the Bombay High Court had ordered the BCCI to move all IPL matches from May out of Maharashtra, the governing council shifted thirteen fixtures to new venues. Earlier, the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai was scheduled to host the final while the MCA Stadium in Pune was given two qualifiers.

However, the revised schedule will ensure that as many as 19 matches have been moved out of the three venues in Maharashtra. Despite assurances by cricketers that the change of venues would not hamper their preparation, they still have to adjust to the different conditions in each stadium.

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