For the first time, IPL playoff matches will be held this season at Mullanpur, Punjab. Located in New Chandigarh, this newly built stadium hosted IPL matches for the first time in IPL 2025, and has now been entrusted with two high-profile playoff games. The stadium will host Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator, while Qualifier 2 and the Final will be held at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
According to the original IPL 2025 schedule, only league matches were to be played in Mullanpur. However, due to the suspension of the IPL for a week following escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the stadium's fortune changed, and it was awarded the responsibility of hosting two major matches.
In a key development, sources reveal that former Team India spinner Harbhajan Singh played a vital role in persuading the BCCI to hold the playoff matches in Punjab. Harbhajan reportedly worked hard to convince BCCI officials that, given the current weather conditions, Mullanpur would be the most suitable venue for the games.
According to IANS sources, Harbhajan Singh, who is the Chief Cricketing Advisor to the Punjab Cricket Association, assured board officials that the Mullanpur stadium is fully ready in terms of infrastructure and crowd enthusiasm. Harbhajan, actively promoting cricket in Punjab, is eager to bring as many high-profile matches to the state as possible.
He had previously expressed concern over the reduced number of matches hosted in Mohali, and since then, has been pushing to shift more games to the new stadium. On Tuesday, May 20, the BCCI officially announced the venues for the IPL 2025 playoff matches.