The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the schedule for the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 Playoffs, setting the stage for a thrilling conclusion to the tournament’s 18th season.

Following 70 high-octane league matches, the Playoffs will begin with Qualifier 1 on Thursday, May 29, at the newly inaugurated PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh, where the top two teams of the league will face off for a direct spot in the final.

The action continues with the Eliminator match on Friday, May 30, also at the New Chandigarh venue, featuring the teams ranked third and fourth in the league standings.

The excitement then shifts to the iconic Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, the world’s largest cricket arena, which will host both the Qualifier 2 and the Final. 

Qualifier 2 — between the loser of Qualifier 1 and the winner of the Eliminator — will be played on Sunday, June 1, while the much-anticipated Final is scheduled for Tuesday, June 3.

Originally, the final four matches of the IPL 2025 season were slated to be held in Hyderabad and Kolkata, but the IPL Governing Council revised the venues due to weather-related concerns and other logistical factors.

In addition to the Playoff changes, Match No. 65 between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has been relocated to Lucknow from Bengaluru. 

The game will now take place at the Bharat Ratna Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee Ekana Cricket Stadium, due to adverse weather conditions in Bengaluru.

To accommodate potential weather delays, an extra hour of playing time will be added to all remaining league matches starting Tuesday, May 20.

Fan Zone

Fans across Afghanistan can tune in to Ariana Television to watch the playoffs live. 

Until playoffs get underway, there are still a good few matches to be played. Today, Wednesday May 21, will see Match 63 take place at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai when Mumbai Indians take on Delhi Capitals.

This match starts at 6:30pm Kabul time.

Top Teams

As the race for the trophy heats up, there is still one spot in the top four up for grabs – and that will be decided in today’s match when Mumbai Indians take on Delhi Capitals. 

IPL 2022 winners Gujarat Titans however currently lead the IPL 2025 standings and have already sealed a place in the playoffs along with three-time runners-up Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings.

In a significant diplomatic engagement held in Beijing, the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Mohammad Ishaq Dar, joined China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi, along with Afghanistan’s Acting Foreign Minister Amir Khan Muttaqi, for an informal trilateral meeting focused on regional cooperation.

The meeting reaffirmed the importance of trilateral collaboration between the three nations, with the ministers emphasizing the importance of advancing regional security and economic integration.

During their discussions, the foreign ministers explored ways to strengthen diplomatic dialogue and practical collaboration.

They identified trade, infrastructure, and development as key engines for regional prosperity and committed to enhancing connectivity initiatives across their shared borders.

A key highlight of the meeting was the agreement to deepen cooperation under China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), with a particular focus on extending the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) into Afghanistan.

This extension is expected to bring transformative infrastructure and economic opportunities to the war-torn country.

In addition to economic matters, the ministers reaffirmed their united stance against terrorism, underscoring the need for collective efforts to maintain regional peace and stability.

To build on the momentum, the ministers agreed to convene the 6th Trilateral Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Kabul at a mutually convenient date in the near future — signaling their shared commitment to continued engagement and cooperation.

The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has expressed serious concern over funding shortfalls as it continues to support Afghan returnees from Pakistan.

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), over three million Afghans have returned to Afghanistan from neighboring countries since September 2023. Many were deported or fled fearing arrest after Pakistan announced its plan to repatriate all undocumented foreigners.

In 2025 alone, an estimated 780,000 Afghans returned, including over 351,000 deportees, Dawn reported, citing UNHCR figures.

Meanwhile, the UN Development Programme (UNDP) reports that 75% of Afghanistan’s population is struggling to survive, with half in urgent need of humanitarian aid.

UNHCR’s representative in Afghanistan, Arafat Jamal, said the agency requires $216 million to meet its goals this year, but has received only 25% of the needed funds so far. Due to this shortfall, UNHCR is limited to providing only the most basic humanitarian support.

“It can help someone survive, but not effectively rebuild,” Jamal said.

The funding crisis is also affecting programs designed to protect Afghan women and girls, as well as those assisting them.

UNHCR emphasized that decades of international investment in Afghanistan are at risk without continued support. It urged neighboring countries to treat Afghan returnees with dignity and work together on sustainable, voluntary repatriation solutions.

The UN body urged the international community to “not abandon its investments, to stay the course and to provide political and financial support” for dispersed Afghans to “return and build their futures”.

“We have supported the governments that have hosted them and we are with them now as many make the journey back.”