Rain Forces RCB vs SRH Relocation to Lucknow
Bengaluru’s rainy season has thrown a real curveball into the IPL 2025 schedule. The highly anticipated match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), set for May 23 at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, won’t happen in its iconic home ground after all. Instead, players and fans will head to Lucknow’s Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, thanks to relentless showers that left Bengaluru’s pitch unplayable. If you’re a cricket lover in the city, it’s seriously frustrating—the rain already washed out RCB’s last home game against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), which unexpectedly knocked KKR out of the tournament.
RCB, at least, have less to worry about than most. They’ve already nailed a place in the playoffs, gathering 17 points from 12 matches with 8 wins, 3 losses, and a single no-result. This late shift means they’ll now play both their closing matches—against SRH and Lucknow Super Giants—in Lucknow. The SRH side, on the other hand, has little to fight for. With only four wins out of eleven games, they’re already out of the playoff race. So, for SRH, it’s all about pride and spoiling someone else’s party.
Playoff Plans, Ticket Refunds, and The BCCI’s Weather Fix
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) didn’t just move one game—they’ve mapped out the full playoff schedule, and there’s a fresh twist or two. The Eliminator showdown on May 29-30 goes to Mullanpur, while the big battles—Qualifier 1 on June 1, Qualifier 2 on June 3, and the final—will all play out at the massive Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Fans who bought RCB home tickets are understandably disappointed. The franchise isn’t leaving them in the lurch, though. They announced full refunds for those who had tickets for the now-lost Bengaluru match. Bought your ticket online? You’ll get an automatic refund within 10 working days. If you’ve still got a physical ticket in hand, you should reach out to [email protected] and sort things directly with the ticketing partner.
Weather isn’t just a Bengaluru problem this season. The BCCI knows the monsoon arrived early, so they made a key change: every remaining league-stage match gets an extra hour in the playing window. That means if sudden showers hit, there’s more wiggle room to get a result before the match is called off. It’s a direct response to the rain drama this year, and fans can only hope it means more cricket, less waiting, and far fewer washouts.
- The IPL 2025 playoff lineup is: Eliminator in Mullanpur, Qualifiers and final in Ahmedabad.
- RCB have playoff safety but unlucky fans in Bengaluru—keep an eye on your bank for those refunds.
- SRH are out of the playoffs and play their final games in Lucknow, with only bragging rights left to play for.