IPL 2025 set for last-minute schedule change: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Lucknow Super Giants match shifted to Guwahati

A last-minute schedule change for the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) is brewing. Match No. 19 of the IPL 2025 between defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders and the Lucknow Super Giants on April 6 (Sunday), set to take place at the Eden Gardens, is likely to be shifted from Kolkata to Guwahati after the Cricket Association of Bengal expressed security concerns, reported news agency PTI on Thursday, two days before the scheduled start of the tournament. KKR vs LSG IPL 2025 match is likely to be shifted out of Kolkata(BCCI)

"The IPL match between KKR and LSG on April 6 is to be shifted from Kolkata to Guwahati following security concerns on Ram Navami day," reported PTI, quoting CAB president Snehashish Ganguly.

The Barsapara Stadium in Guwahati is already slated to host two home matches - against KKR on March 26 and against CSK on March 30 - for the Rajasthan Royals this year.

Ganguly said the city police have expressed their inability to provide adequate security for the KKR vs LSG match, which was slated to be an afternoon encounter on Sunday (April 6), as it clashes with Ram Navami celebrations in the city of joy.

"We have informed the BCCI to reschedule the match, but there is no scope for rescheduling the game in the city later and I'm now hearing that it's going to be shifted to Guwahati," said Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Ganguly.

The clash between KKR and LSG, owned by RPSG Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka, was expected to draw a packed house, with both teams boasting strong local support.

An official statement from the IPL, however, is yet to arrive.

In season 2024, the IPL fixture between KKR and Rajasthan Royals had to be rescheduled due to lack of security arrangements on Ram Navami.

"I had several rounds of talks with the Kolkata Police and they said they won't be able to provide enough security on that day," Snehasish added.

"If there's no police protection, accommodating and managing a 65,000-strong crowd becomes impossible," Snehasish had said on Tuesday.

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