This is the reason BCCI decided to switch venues for the SMAT 2025 knockouts

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reached the knockout stages of the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025-26 (SMAT) from Indore to Pune. Originally scheduled for Holkar Cricket Stadium and Emerald High School Ground in Indore from December 12 to 18, the final 13 matches – including the innovative Super League stage and final – will now be played at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Gahunje and the Dr. DY Patil Academy in Ambi.

BCCI explains the venue change for the knockout stages of SMAT 2025

The decision comes in the wake of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association’s (MPCA) inability to secure hotels due to a major global doctors’ conference occupying rooms from December 9 to 12. Rohit Pandit informed BCCI two weeks earlier, highlighting the logistical impasse as top players converged for the high-stakes knockouts.

The SMAT group stage, which has been running through Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Lucknow since November 26, is nearing completion with five of the seven rounds behind it, intensifying the race for the top two spots in each Elite group. This edition introduces a new Super League format in which qualifiers split into two groups of four for round-robin play, ensuring consistent performances before the semi-finals and finals, rather than one-off knockouts. Teams like Mumbai, with stars like Suryakumar Yadaveyeing strong showings ahead of the IPL 2026 auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. Pune’s venues offer world-class facilities: MCA Stadium’s 42,700-capacity bowl-shaped arena with Philips floodlights and Barco LED screens, plus DY Patil’s multi-sport setup, promise seamless hosting amid Maharashtra’s cricketing heritage.

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The IndiGo crisis poses new challenges for BCCI’s domestic programme

IndiGo’s ongoing flight disruptions – with over 1,000 cancellations due to technical glitches, weather, crew shortages and new duty rules – are threatening the transfer of players from group venues to Pune. All domestic flights to Delhi were halted till midnight on December 5, with waivers extended till December 15, when DGCA rolled back pilot norms amid government intervention. BCCI is facing hurdles flying eight Super League teams, umpires, coaches and officials, besides parallel events such as Women’s Under 23 T20 in Ahmedabad and Cooch Behar Trophy Men’s Under 19 Years.​

Sources point to risks if disruptions continue, potentially delaying arrivals for the December 12 opening days and putting pressure on domestic operations during peak times. IndiGo will be scaled back from December 8 and is targeting normalcy by February 2026, but BCCI is keeping a close watch to secure SMAT’s momentum as a major IPL audition platform. This adaptive shift underlines BCCI’s determination to prioritize seamless cricket amid external pressures, keeping the focus on emerging talents in India’s premier T20 domestic showdown.

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