The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has relocated the knockout stages of the 2025-26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) from Indore to Pune. Originally slated for Holkar Cricket Stadium and Emerald High School Ground in Indore from December 12 to 18, the last 13 matches – including the innovative Super League phase and final – will now unfold at Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Gahunje and Dr DY Patil Academy in Ambi.
BCCI explains venue switch for the SMAT 2025 knockout stage
This decision stems from the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association’s (MPCA) inability to secure hotels, triggered by a major global doctors’ conference occupying rooms from December 9 to 12. MPCA CEO Rohit Pandit notified BCCI two weeks prior, emphasizing the logistical impasse as top players converged for the high-stakes knockouts.
The SMAT group stage, running since November 26 across Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Lucknow, nears completion with five of seven rounds done, intensifying the race for top-two spots in each Elite group. This edition introduces a fresh Super League format where qualifiers split into two groups of four for round-robin play, ensuring consistent performance before semifinals and final, rather than one-off knockouts. Teams like Mumbai, featuring stars such as Suryakumar Yadav, eye 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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IndiGo crisis poses fresh challenges for BCCI’s domestic schedule
Compounding the venue switch, IndiGo’s ongoing flight disruptions – with over 1,000 cancellations due to tech glitches, weather, crew shortages, and new duty rules – threaten player transit from group venues to Pune. All Delhi domestic departures halted on December 5 until midnight, with waivers extended to December 15, as DGCA rolled back pilot norms amid government intervention. BCCI faces hurdles flying eight Super League teams, umpires, coaches, and officials, alongside parallel events like Women’s Under-23 T20 in Ahmedabad and Men’s Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy.
Sources highlight risks if disruptions persist, potentially delaying arrivals for December 12 openers and straining domestic operations during peak travel. IndiGo scales back from December 8, targeting normalcy by February 2026, but BCCI monitors closely to safeguard SMAT’s momentum as a key IPL audition platform. This adaptive shift underscores BCCI’s resolve to prioritize seamless cricket amid external pressures, keeping focus on emerging talents in India’s premier T20 domestic showdown.
