Pune: Two days after Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Pune was chosen as the venue to host Chennai Super Kings’ (CSK) ‘home’ matches, owing to the Cauvery water dispute, the musical chair of IPL venue changes has started again. 

On Friday, reports in various publications of North India stated that Pune is set to lose two play-off matches it was supposed to host. MCA Stadium is supposed to host the Eliminator on May 23 and Qualifier 2 on May 25 as per the schedule.

“I don’t know about any such reports. We haven’t received any communication from BCCI, so we are continuing with our preparations to host the matches, including the two play-off games,” an MCA official close to the development said.

Earlier, reports stated that, since Pune will now host six games of Chennai, the venue will lose out on hosting play-off matches, with Lucknow, Rajkot and Kolkata as the probable venues to host those two particular games.

The reports also said that the decision on the new venue for play-offs will be taken soon and quoted IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla about the same, with Kolkata being the front-runner.

If at all matches are to be moved, then, Kolkata, which had earlier written to the BCCI requesting it to allot the play-offs could be the best possible option because of its connectivity with Mumbai.

But if one comes to think of it, hosting the Eliminator and Qualifier 2 in Pune is the most logical option considering the city’s proximity to Mumbai, which will be hosting the IPL final on May 27 at the Wankhede Stadium.