IPL 2025
Ahmedabad had a rain forecast of only three per cent on the day of the final © Sportzpics
There was a collective sigh of relief as Season 18 of the Indian Premier League (IPL) concluded without further interruption. With both war and weather (rain) posing serious threats to the tournament’s completion, it took scientific and deft decision-making behind the scenes – and in the end, it all seemed to pay off.
At the IPL Governing Council (GC) meeting on May 20, BCCI administrators found themselves playing the role of meteorologists, closely studying the weather patterns across the country before deciding on the venue for the four playoff matches – Qualifier 1, the Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the final.
Hyderabad and Kolkata were the original designated hosts, but after the one-week pause – prompted by rising tensions and conflict at the border – the situation across the country shifted diametrically, including the weather patterns.
The BCCI entered the Governing Council (GC) meeting armed with weather forecasts for all IPL cities. Kolkata, the original venue for the final, had a 65 percent chance of rain, while Ahmedabad’s projection was just three percent. Based on this, the GC decided to move the final to Ahmedabad.
Given the political dynamics in the country, there were comments that it was a political call. But on Wednesday (June 4), the day after the IPL final, the BCCI clarified that the decision was based purely on scientific inputs.
“The decision was never political. We have banked on scientific material and inputs. There was no forecast for rain in Ahmedabad at the time of the GC,” Devajit Saikia, the BCCI secretary, told Cricbuzz.
As fate would have it, heavy rain lashed Kolkata on Tuesday night while the final was underway at the Narendra Modi Stadium. Ahmedabad experienced a light drizzle earlier in the afternoon, but there was no interruption during the 40-over contest between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings. In Kolkata, rain and thunderstorms lashed the city for over four hours after 9 pm.
Qualifier 2 was affected by the weather, with the match delayed by two hours on Sunday (June 1) – ironically, on a day when Kolkata enjoyed clear weather. Still, the BCCI and IPL officials were relieved that the game between Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings went ahead without a single over being lost.
© Cricbuzz
