The Karnataka State Cricket Association has been left in utter disappointment after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officially assigned the playoff matches for the ongoing IPL 2026 out of Bengaluru. The M. Chinnaswamy Stadium was earlier slated to host the final, but the board made a late move, allotting the game to the Narendra Modi Stadium – a ground in Ahmedabad that also hosted the 2025 finale.
KSCA believes that they should have gotten the opportunity to host the playoff matches
since the ground in Bengaluru hosted six games in the league-stage campaign for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), the defending champions. KSCA spokesperson Vinay Mruthyunjaya released a statement shortly after the shift was made, highlighting the preparedness of Chinnaswamy to host the business end of the marquee event.
"At the outset, KSCA expresses its disappointment that the IPL Playoff matches have been allotted to other centres. The IPL matches conducted in Bengaluru during the current season were widely appreciated for their smooth execution, crowd management, operational efficiency, and overall spectator experience," the statement read as quoted by Cricbuzz.
The KSCA spokesperson further added that its president, Venkatesh Prasad, had been in continuous communication with the apex cricketing body in the country. Prasad had expressed his willingness to host the high-profile match for the season in Bengaluru.
"KSCA President and legendary Indian cricketer Venkatesh Prasad was personally in touch with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in this regard and had also formally conveyed KSCA’s preparedness, willingness, and keen interest in hosting the IPL Playoffs at the iconic M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
"Despite our preparedness and willingness to host the Playoffs, we understand that the BCCI has taken a decision to allot these matches to other venues. While the specific reasons for the same have not been formally communicated to KSCA, we fully respect the prerogative and decision-making authority of the BCCI in this regard," it added further.
Notably, the BCCI announced on Wednesday, May 06, that the IPL Playoffs will be played from May 26, with the final slated to be played on May 31. The Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association Stadium in Dharamshala will be hosting the first qualifier, following which the action will move to New Chandigarh for the Eliminator and Qualifier 2.
Playoffs Schedule:
| Match | Date | Venue |
| Qualifier 1 | Tuesday, May 26 | HPCA Stadium, Dharamshala |
| Eliminator | Wednesday, May 27 | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| Qualifier 2 | Friday, May 29 | Maharaja Yadavindra Singh International Cricket Stadium, New Chandigarh |
| Final | Sunday, May 31 | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
