In a significant legal development, Indian cricketer Yuzvendra Chahal and his estranged wife, Dhanashree Verma, have been granted a waiver from the mandatory six-month cooling-off period for their divorce. The Bombay High Court has directed the family court to finalize their divorce proceedings by March 20, ahead of Chahal’s participation in the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season.

Court overturns family court’s decision

Initially, a family court had refused to waive the statutory cooling-off period under Section 13B(2) of the Hindu Marriage Act, citing partial compliance with financial obligations agreed upon in the consent terms between the couple. However, the Bombay High Court bench led by Justice Madhav Jamdar ruled in favor of the waiver, considering the couple’s prolonged separation since June 2022.

Financial settlement and compliance issues

The cricketer had agreed to pay a permanent alimony of Rs 4.75 crore to Verma. However, he had only made a partial payment of Rs 2.37 crore so far, leading to the family court’s initial rejection of the waiver. Despite this, the Bombay High Court acknowledged their extended separation and directed compliance with the consent terms, paving the way for a swift divorce settlement.

Impact of IPL commitments

Given Chahal’s commitment to Punjab Kings for IPL 2025, starting on March 22, the High Court emphasized the urgency of resolving the matter before the tournament. The family court has been instructed to decide on the divorce plea by March 20.

The couple, who tied the knot in December 2020, filed for divorce in February 2024. With this legal development, their separation is set to be legally finalized before the cricket season kicks off.

The IPL 2025 fixture between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG), scheduled for April 6 at Eden Gardens, is likely to be rescheduled due to security concerns arising from Ram Navami celebrations in Kolkata.

West Bengal’s city police have reportedly denied security clearance for the match, citing the massive security deployment required for over 20,000 processions announced by BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari across the state.

No police clearance for IPL match

After holding two rounds of discussions with the city police on Tuesday, Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Snehasish Ganguly confirmed that the authorities have not granted security clearance for the match.

“They have categorically said they won’t be able to provide adequate security. If there’s no police protection, accommodating a 65,000-strong crowd becomes impossible,” Ganguly stated.

He further mentioned that CAB has informed the BCCI, and the final decision on rescheduling is yet to be taken. Ganguly also recalled that last year’s IPL match on Ram Navami was rescheduled due to similar concerns.

History of rescheduling IPL matches on Ram Navami

This is not the first time an IPL match in Kolkata has faced a schedule change due to security concerns on Ram Navami. In the 2024 season, a clash between KKR and Rajasthan Royals was also rescheduled following similar security issues.

The anticipated match between KKR and LSG, owned by RPSG Group chairman Sanjiv Goenka, was expected to draw a packed house, with both teams boasting strong local fan bases.

IPL 2025 opening ceremony at Eden Gardens

Despite the uncertainty around the April 6 match, the IPL 2025 season will kick off with a grand opening ceremony at Eden Gardens on March 22, where defending champions KKR will take on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the season opener.

The 35-minute star-studded event is expected to feature performances by noted singer Shreya Ghoshal and actress Disha Patani. The opening ceremony is also likely to be attended by ICC chairman Jay Shah and other dignitaries.

“It’s a marquee match with full demand for tickets. Eden Gardens is set to host an opening ceremony after a long time,” Ganguly added while refraining from disclosing further details.

With the security situation evolving, BCCI and IPL governing authorities will soon make an official announcement regarding the fate of the KKR vs LSG match at Eden Gardens.

The much-anticipated IPL 2025 clash between Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Mumbai Indians (MI) is creating waves even before the match, as fans struggled to secure tickets for the game scheduled on March 23 at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

Ticket sales for the high-voltage match began online on Wednesday at 10:15 AM, but many fans were left empty-handed as seats vanished within minutes. Social media was soon flooded with complaints, with many questioning the transparency of the process.

Fans express anger over ticket booking system

Several users vented their frustration on X (formerly Twitter), sharing their experiences with the ticketing system.

A disappointed fan wrote, “I logged in exactly at 10:15 AM, and I was already in queue at 87,600. How does that even work when transactions must be completed within 10 minutes? 🤣”

Another user dismissed the process as a farce, warning others, “Don’t waste your time, folks! This online sale is just for show.”

Scalping allegations also surfaced, with one fan alleging, “People who won’t even attend the match are hoarding tickets just to resell for profit. This needs to stop! #TicketScam #CSKvsMI”

Frustration also extended towards CSK’s management. A fan criticized, “Worst franchise ever. If sponsors get all the tickets, what’s the point of being a fan? #Scam #IPL2025.”

Adding to the discontent, another user pointed out the vast gap between demand and supply, stating, “Chepauk Stadium has 38,000 seats, but 1,70,000 people were in the queue. When will they fix this mess?”

CSK vs MI ticket prices

For those who did manage to secure a ticket, the price breakdown was as follows:

• Rs 1,700 – Tower C/D/E (Lower)
• Rs 2,500 – Tower I/J/K (Upper)
• Rs 3,500 – Tower C/D/E (Upper)
• Rs 4,000 – Tower I/J/K (Lower)
• Rs 7,500 – Tower KMK (Terrace)

IPL 2025 set to kick off on March 22

The IPL 2025 season will commence on March 22, with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) facing Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens.

CSK vs MI head-to-head record

In their 37 previous encounters, MI has had the upper hand, winning 20 matches, while CSK has claimed 17 victories. With CSK looking to even the record, fans are hoping to witness an electrifying contest—if they can manage to get a ticket!