PBKS vs MI IPL 2025 clash to be shifted to Ahmedabad from Dharamsala in wake of Operation Sindoor - Reports

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 clash between the Punjab Kings (PBKS) and the Mumbai Indians (MI) will reportedly be held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Sunday, May 11. The match was initially scheduled to be hosted by the HPCA Stadium in Dharamsala, but has been shifted at the eleventh hour due to government regulations following Operation Sindoor.

The Indian Armed Forces are on high alert in the areas close to the border, while the Indian Government issued directives to shut down airports in the northern regions. There were questions raised as to how the Mumbai Indians (MI) travel to Dharamsala, with both the Chandigarh and Amritsar airports being closed for operation.

Although previous reports indicated that the team might have to travel by road from Delhi, the nine-hour additional travel time might add to fatigue for the players.

With no other viable alternative, the organizers have decided to seek a neutral venue for the clash to be held.

"Yes, the match between PBKS and MI will now be played in Ahmedabad," Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) Secretary Anil Patel told the Times of India.

MI's travel to Ahmedabad does not pose an issue. But, it will be tricky for PBKS and DC to travel out of Dharamsala after their scheduled clash on Thursday, May 8, without operational flights in the region.

"We need to keep players' comfort in mind. We need to navigate the hilly area using the smaller buses. So there is a plan to possibly break the journey into two parts but nothing final yet," an official told the Times of India

"A call will be taken by the evening because there could be a possibility of both PBKS and DC starting their journey right after the match. There is a railway station some two hours from the ground, even that is being explored. But as I said, players' comfort is of utmost importance. We can't burn them out with travel," the official added.

The Narendra Modi Stadium, which is the home ground of the Gujarat Titans (GT), was not scheduled to host a match in the upcoming weekend. The last match held there was on Friday, May 2, when Shubman Gill and co. defeated the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) by 38 runs.

Two more matches are scheduled to be held at the venue during the business end of the tournament when GT host the Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) and the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on May 14 and 18, respectively.

MI have lost four consecutive matches at the Narendra Modi Stadium ahead of IPL 2025 clash against PBKS

The Punjab Kings (PBKS) opened their IPL 2025 campaign at the colossal venue, where they secured an 11-run win following Shreyas Iyer and Vijaykumar Vyshak's heroics.

MI, however, have not had pleasant memories of the venue. The Hardik Pandya-led side lost by 36 runs in the early stages of the 2025 campaign. They have lost four matches in a row at the venue, including a Qualifier 2 defeat during the 2023 season.