The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has declared Ahmedabad as the venue for the IPL 2025 game between the Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings on May 11. The BCCI cited logistical challenges as the reason behind changing the venue but the timing of the fixture remains unchanged and will begin on 3:30 pm IST.
Earlier media reports claimed that Mumbai could host the fixture, with D.Y. Patil Stadium emerging as a contender. According to the press release unveiled on the official IPL website, it said:
"TATA IPL Match No. 61 between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, originally scheduled to be played in Dharamshala on Sunday, May 11, has been relocated to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. The venue change has been necessitated due to logistical challenges. The match will begin at 3:30 PM IST as per the original schedule."
Mumbai Indians, who played their most recent game at home, were slated to travel to Dharamsala for the fixture against the Punjab Kings on May 11, Sunday. However, their travel plans were thrown into uncertainty as certain airports began shutting down due to the Indian government launching Operation Sindoor.
According to a report by The Times of India, flights to airports namely Jammu, Srinagar, Leh, Jodhpur, Amritsar, Bhuj, Jamnagar, Chandigarh and Rajkot - cities along the Pakistan border have been closed until 5:30 am IST on May 10.
Mumbai Indians to face Punjab Kings for the first time in IPL 2025
Meanwhile, it will be the first time in this year's IPL that the five-time champions and Punjab Kings will lock horns. While Punjab Kings are currently third in the standings and Mumbai are 4th.
Mumbai Indians' six-match winning streak came to a halt with a three-wicket loss to the Gujarat Titans at the Wankhede Stadium. With seven wins, Hardik Pandya and co. stand a chance of reaching the playoffs but still have some work to do, with other teams also being in contention.
