Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) The knockout stages of 2025–26 Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT) From Indore to Pune. Originally scheduled for the Holkar Cricket Stadium and Emerald High School Ground in Indore from December 12 to 18, the last 13 matches – including the Innovative Super League stage and the final – will now be held at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Gahunje and Dr DY Patil Academy in Ambi.
BCCI informs about change of venue for SMAT 2025 knockout stage
The decision has been taken due to the inability of the Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (MPCA) to secure hotels, which had rooms occupied due to a major global doctors’ conference from December 9 to 12. MPCA CEO Rohit Pandit The BCCI was informed two weeks ago, highlighting the logistical impasse due to the gathering of top players for the high-stakes knockout.
The SMAT group stage, which has been underway since November 26 in Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Kolkata and Lucknow, is nearing completion with five out of seven rounds underway, intensifying the race for the top-two spots in each elite group. This edition introduces a new Super League format, where the qualifiers are divided into two groups of four each to play a round-robin, ensuring consistent performances before the semi-finals and final, rather than a one-off knockout. Teams with stars like Mumbai Suryakumar YadavThe eye is on a strong performance ahead of the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16. Pune’s venues offer world-class facilities: MCA Stadium’s 42,700-capacity bowl-shaped arena with Philips floodlights and Barco LED screens, along with DY Patil’s multi-sport setup, promises a seamless hosting experience amid Maharashtra’s cricketing heritage.
See also: Hardik Pandya enjoys celebrations with Ravi Bishnoi right after his own dismissal in SMAT 2025
Indigo crisis has created new challenges for BCCI’s domestic schedule.
Along with the venue change, IndiGo’s ongoing flight disruptions – with over 1,000 cancellations due to technical glitches, weather, crew shortage and new duty rules – threaten players’ transit from the group venues to Pune. All domestic flights from Delhi were stopped till midnight on December 5, with the relaxation extended till December 15, as DGCA withdrew pilot norms amid government intervention. The BCCI is facing hurdles in holding parallel events as well as the flight of eight Super League teams, umpires, coaches and officials Women’s Under-23 T20 and in Ahmedabad Men’s Under-19 Cooch Behar Trophy.
Sources have highlighted the risks if the disruption continues, potentially delaying the arrival of the opening matches on December 12 and straining domestic operations during peak travel. Indigo has stepped back from December 8, aiming for normalcy by February 2026, but BCCI is closely monitoring SMAT as the premier IPL audition platform to safeguard its momentum. This adaptive change underlines the BCCI’s resolve to prioritize uninterrupted cricket amid external pressures, while focusing on emerging talent in India’s premier T20 domestic showdown.
Also read: Top 5 youngest centurions in the history of Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, Vaibhav Suryavanshi
