The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially relocated the upcoming Duleep Trophy final from Bengaluru to the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai. BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia confirmed the move, explaining that the decision was driven by a desire to ensure the general public can attend the match, which is set to feature many of the nation’s premier cricketers.
While the tournament’s earlier stages will remain in Bengaluru, Saikia noted that government-imposed restrictions at the BCCI Centre of Excellence (CoE) currently prevent spectators from attending matches at that facility. Consequently, the board opted to shift the marquee five-day final, scheduled to begin on September 6, to the Chennai venue to facilitate fan access.
The inter-zonal red-ball competition is slated to commence on August 23 with two simultaneous quarterfinals: East Zone versus North East Zone, and North Zone against West Zone. These opening matches, along with the two semifinals beginning on August 30, will be hosted at the CoE in Bengaluru and played over four days. While all tournament fixtures will be live-streamed, the BCCI has confirmed that select matches, including the final, will also receive television broadcast coverage. Central Zone enters the tournament as the defending champions following their victory over South Zone in last year’s final.
