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The IPL governing council has officially shifted the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 clash between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), originally scheduled for May 23 at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru, to a new venue. The clash will now occur at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow.
Reason behind the change in venue from Bengaluru to Lucknow
The reason behind the change in venue is unfavourable weather conditions in Bengaluru. Bengaluru has been battling its heaviest rainfall of the year, leading to widespread waterlogging, traffic disruption, and even local flooding in several areas. The situation worsened during RCB’s last scheduled home fixture on May 17, which had to be abandoned without a single ball bowled due to the torrential downpour. This not only disappointed thousands of fans but also raised immediate concerns about the viability of further fixtures at the venue.
According to multiple media reports, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) also subsequently issued a yellow alert for the city, forecasting continued heavy rains leading up to and beyond the May 23 match. Taking stock of the ground conditions, weather projections, and the broader logistical challenges, the BCCI made the proactive move to relocate the high-stakes encounter to Lucknow.
“The TATA IPL Match No. 65 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has been relocated to the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, due to unfavorable weather conditions in Bengaluru. Similar to the playoffs stage, an additional one hour will be allocated to the playing conditions for the remaining matches of the league stage, starting Tuesday, 20 May,” the statement released by IPL.
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IPL 2025: Updated details of the changed fixture
- Fixture: RCB vs SRH
- Original Venue: M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
- New Venue: Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, Lucknow
- Date: Thursday, 23 May 2025
- Time: 7:30 PM IST
SRH already in Lucknow while RCB chasing top-two finish
Interestingly, the venue shift to Lucknow for the clash comes with a natural advantage for SRH, who are already stationed in the city. The Hyderabad-based franchise recently played their final scheduled league game against Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) at the Ekana Stadium on Monday, May 19, and secured a comprehensive victory. Despite the dominant performance, Pat Cummins and his squad are already out of playoff contention, having fallen short in the points tally due to inconsistent form earlier in the season. While SRH will now be playing their final fixture at the same venue, their role shifts from that of a contender to a potential spoiler, capable of derailing another team’s ambitions.
In contrast, RCB will enter this clash with everything to play for. Having already secured a spot in the IPL 2025 playoffs following Gujarat Titans’ win over Delhi Capitals on Sunday, RCB now set their sights on a top-two finish, which guarantees them a second chance in the playoffs via Qualifier 1. Their task, however, is not an easy one. With back-to-back matches scheduled at the Ekana Stadium, including a final league stage showdown against LSG on May 27, RCB must now adapt quickly to a venue known for its slow, turning wickets, a sharp contrast to the flat, high-scoring tracks of their home ground in Bengaluru.
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