The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 is set to culminate in a grand finale on June 3 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad. In a gesture of national pride and remembrance, the closing ceremony will pay homage to the Indian Armed Forces, commemorating their valor during Operation Sindoor, according to reports from Sportstar.
Operation Sindoor was a significant military response by India to the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam, which resulted in the loss of 26 lives. In the early hours of May 7, the Indian Armed Forces launched precision strikes targeting nine terrorist infrastructure sites in Pakistan and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. The operation was characterized by its focused and measured approach, aiming to dismantle terrorist networks without escalating tensions.
Throughout the IPL season, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has organized various tributes to honor the armed forces. Notably, during the IPL matches, players stood shoulder-to-shoulder as the national anthem played, with messages like “Proud of the Indian Armed Forces” displayed prominently.
The closing ceremony’s homage is anticipated to be a unifying moment, blending the fervor of cricket with national solidarity, and paying respect to the bravery and dedication of India’s military personnel.
IPL 2025: Mumbai Indians are taking on Punjab Kings at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium
Two out of the four teams qualifying for IPL 2025 playoffs will be in action when Mumbai Indians and Punjab Kings on May 26, Monday at the Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur. The race for the top two will resume yet again and Mumbai Indians will sense some upper hand after Punjab Kings’ loss to the Delhi Capitals.
Although Punjab Kings’ batting unit looks top-notch, led by Shreyas Iyer, their bowling has emerged as a glaring weakness after the Capitals hunted down 207 comprehensively on Saturday. To compound matters, PBKS’ assistant coach Sunil Joshi confirmed that Yuzvendra Chahal has an injury but was optimistic he will be fit for playoffs. Moreover, Marco Jansen will be unavailable for the playoffs due to returning home for WTC final preparations; hence, it will be interesting to see how Punjab deal with it.
Mumbai Indians’ six-match winning streak was halted by the Gujarat Titans at the Wankhede Stadium with a thrilling victory. However, they made a thunderous return, demolishing the Capitals by 59 runs to qualify for the playoffs. The five-time champions are known to raise their game at this stage of the tournament; hence, the Punjab Kings will be wary of it. It will also be the first time Punjab Kings faces the Mumbai Indians in IPL 2025.
