Disregarded, Betrayal, Cruel Bash! Kolkata Cricket Fans React To IPL 2025 Final Venue Change From Eden Gardens To Narendra Modi Stadium

The BCCI has confirmed that the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will now host the IPL 2025 final on June 3, replacing Kolkata's Eden Gardens, which was originally scheduled to stage the summit clash on May 25.

The change comes in light of the revised IPL calendar, following a week-long pause in the tournament due to heightened tensions between India and Pakistan.

As per the updated schedule, Ahmedabad will also stage Qualifier 2 on June 1. Meanwhile, the first two playoff games - Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator - will be held at the Mullanpur Stadium in New Chandigarh.

The shift from Eden Gardens was primarily due to the likelihood of rain in Kolkata on the new final date. The decision was made during a BCCI meeting held on Tuesday.

It is true that Kolkata experiences heavy rainfall in the month of June and that is the reason why this decision was taken. Already a number of matches in the ongoing season have been called off due to incessant rainfall and in order to prevent such situation in a final match, a bold call was taken to deprive the ardent cricket fans of an IPL final showdown.

MyKhel got in touch with a number of Kolkata fans, who have nothing but to express frustration on the BCCI's decision, and each one of them were all geared up to watch an IPL final in their city after a gap of 10 years.

''The news is extremely depressing for me as a devoted city cricket fan. The energy of Kolkata, particularly from the Eden Gardens crowd, has always added a special feel to the IPL finals. The crowd's thunderous applause has the power to change the outcome of any game. Even though Kolkata has a long history of cricket and an unmatched fan base, it hurts to see Eden Gardens denied access once more. The move to Ahmedabad, particularly in light of the chaos in 2023's final, feels like a lost chance for Kolkata's supporters and revenue, even though June 4th was set aside as a reserve day to account for rain delays. Unfortunately, the city has once again been disregarded, even though it deserved this moment''- Dwaipayan Mandal (Social Media Influencer, Sportiality)

'We don't really know what went on behind the scenes, but citing rain as the reason for shifting the final doesn't entirely add up. Just days ago, the country was on the brink of conflict, and from a security standpoint, Gujarat is actually closer to the border than West Bengal. It feels like a major opportunity taken away from Kolkata fans, who were eagerly waiting to witness the final at the iconic Eden Gardens''- Abhishek Bhattacharyya (Academic Co-ordinator, SRFTI)

''This sudden shift from Kolkata to Ahmedabad feels like a cruel bash. It is a huge letdown for all the cricket lovers in the city who were eagerly waiting for the final''- Subhadip Samadder (Business Development Executive, Flipkart)

''As a fan, I feel a sense of betrayal, especially since Eden Gardens was initially selected to host the final match after Kolkata Knight Riders' title win last year. Despite the home team's early elimination, we were eager to witness top teams like Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans competing in Kolkata. But I can understand the decision has been taken place due to weather conditions, so will have to digest it anyways''- Sayantan Das (Senior Technical Analyst, BT Group)

''IPL Closing ceremony has always been an eye catching spectacle for fans like us since it began in 2008. I have been waiting to witness the final since KKR won their third title last year. I missed the opening day due to personal reasons but decided that I would definitely watch the summit clash. Pretty much disappointed by the Board's decision and after all they should have thought about the most passionate fans in India, when it comes to sports''- Saurav Dutta (CS Executive/Secretary To Director, BGS Group)

The last time Ahmedabad hosted an IPL final was back in 2023, where Chennai Super Kings faced off against Gujarat Titans. The match was heavily affected by rain, stretching over two and a half days. Originally set for May 28, the game was washed out on the scheduled day. Even on the reserve day, persistent rain caused multiple interruptions, and the contest finally concluded past midnight on May 30, delivering a result after a long wait.

So whether Ahmedabad is the best venue or not, casts a huge doubt on the minds of the Kolkata fans.