The IPL 2025 playoffs were moved from Kolkata and Hyderabad to Chandigarh’s Mullanpur stadium in the revised schedule shared by the BCCI sometime back. The one-week suspension of the IPL 18 due to India-Pakistan border tensions led to the schedule tbeingtweaked, and now the tournament will end on June 3 instead of May 25.

And now details have emerged that former India spinner Harbhajan Singh played a huge role in the shifting of the fixtures to Punjab. The top officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) were persuaded by Harbhajan Singh that the Mullanpur venue was suitable for hosting the matches under the current weather conditions.

"Harbhajan pushed hard for it. He convinced key decision-makers that New Chandigarh is ready, both in terms of facilities and audience enthusiasm. He wasn't just lobbying; he was deeply involved in inspection visits, pitch discussions, and logistical planning," confirmed a source to IANS.

The Punjab Cricket Association's Chief Cricketing Advisor, Harbhajan, has been actively promoting cricket in the area since his retirement and has consistently expressed worry over the dearth of international and IPL-level matches in Punjab following Mohali's decline as a frequent host location.

He saw a chance to bring top-tier cricket back to the heartland with the successful completion of the stadium in Mullanpur.

Following IPL 2025's 70 league-stage games, attention will turn to New Chandigarh's New PCA Stadium in Mullanpur as it prepares to host the eagerly anticipated Qualifier 1 on May 29, which will pit the top two teams against one another, and an exciting Eliminator match on May 30.

An exciting Qualifier 2 and the Grand Final will take place at Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi arena, the biggest cricket arena in the world. On June 1, Qualifier 2 will be contested between the victor of the Eliminator and the loser of Qualifier 1. The much-awaited summit match is scheduled for June 3.

(IANS inputs)