IPL 2018: Visakhapatnam loses to Pune in contest to host Chennai Super Kings

The remaining matches of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have been shifted to Pune, contrary to the expectations of cricket fans in Visakhapatnam. With the latest developments, the Maharashtra Cricket Association stadium in Pune will be the new home for the men in yellow.

Given the brewing issue of Cauvery, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to shift IPL 2018 games out of Chennai owing to security reasons. The schedule of the matches will, however, remain unchanged. While the cities of Pune, Visakhapatnam, Thiruvananthapuram, and Rajkot were shortlisted, speculations were rife that Visakhapatnam, given its proximity to Chennai, was the front-runner for hosting CSK’s upcoming home games.

However, it was Pune that was selected, as confirmed by IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla on Wednesday in Jaipur.

It has been learned that the Pune’s connectivity to other cities, hosting the games, played a crucial role in taking the final decision.

“There are only a few direct flights available from Vizag. If the team has to travel to Indore, then they had to reach Indore via Delhi. Pune has better connectivity, so it was decided that CSK shift base to Pune,” an IPL source told TOI.

Also, having played for Rising Pune Supergiants for two seasons in the past, CSK’s captain, MS Dhoni is quite familiar with the conditions there, which might prove to be handy in several crucial aspects of the game.

After setting the eleventh edition of IPL ablaze with a thumping victory in the season opener, Tuesday saw Chennai Super Kings pull off yet another heist when they overcame Kolkata Knight Riders on the penultimate delivery of the match. After making a roaring entry after two years, the team from down south hit its first hurdle in the season when Chennai was declared no longer eligible to host games.