NEW DELHI, May 8: The IPL match between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, scheduled for May 11 in Dharamsala, has been shifted to Ahmedabad owing to the closure of the hill town’s airport in the wake of military action against terror infrastructure in Pakistan.
The match will now be played at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the BCCI said in a statement on Thursday.
“TATA IPL Match No. 61 between Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, originally scheduled to be played in Dharamsala on Sunday, May 11, has been relocated to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad,” the BCCI said.
“The venue change has been necessitated due to logistical challenges. The match will begin at 3:30 PM IST as per the original schedule,” the statement added.
Earlier, Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) secretary Anil Patel confirmed the development to PTI.
“BCCI requested us and we accepted. Mumbai Indians are arriving later today and travel plans of Punjab Kings will be known later,” said Patel.
Punjab Kings play Delhi Capitals in Dharamsala on Thursday.
The Dharamsala airport has been closed for commercial flights at least until May 10 in the wake of India’s military strikes on terrorist infrastructure inside Pakistan and Pakistan Occupied Jammu and Kashmir in retaliation to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.
It remains to be seen how both Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals are ferried out of Dharamsala with the flight operations shut in the picturesque town.
With Chandigarh airport also closed, teams need to find a way to get to Delhi.
Like Punjab Kings, Delhi Capitals are also scheduled to play on May 11 when they face Gujarat Titans at home.
A Punjab Kings official said the BCCI is yet to inform the franchise on the venue change.
“We have not heard from the BCCI yet. We can only figure out the travel plans once we have full clarity.”
Punjab Kings are on course to make their first IPL play-offs since 2014. (PTI)
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