The final of the 2019 Indian Premier League (IPL) campaign will now be held in Hyderabad instead of Chennai after the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) failed to resolve the issue of the three empty stands.

While the final will now be held at the Rajiv Gandhi International stadium in Hyderabad on May 12, the Eliminator and second Qualifier clashes will now take place at Visakhapatnam. The Chepauk stadium in Chennai, meanwhile, will play host to the first Qualifier on May 7.

With Chennai Super Kings being the defending champions of the IPL, the Chepauk stadium had been earlier given the rights to host the final. However, three stands at the Chennai stadium have remained closed for spectators since 2012 after the TNCA failed to get the required fit certificate from the municipal corporation.

Following complaints from broadcasters, the BCCI and its Committee of Administration (CoA) had given Chennai Super Kings and TNCA one week to sort of the issue after a meeting of the IPL governing council in Delhi.

With the Chepauk authorities failing to get the requisite permission in time, it was Hyderabad which was declared as the final’s venue due to the Sunrisers finishing as the runners-up in 2018.

According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the BCCI preferred Mumbai and Bengaluru as the venues for the playoffs but had to opt for Visakhapatnam due to a paucity of time as well as the fact that India’s general elections are currently ongoing.

PLAY-OFFS AND FINAL SCHEDULE

May 7, Tuesday

Qualifier 1 – Chennai

May 8, Wednesday

Eliminator – Visakhapatnam

May 10, Friday

Qualifier 2 – Visakhapatnam

May 12, Sunday

Final – Hyderabad