Mumbai: Brabourne Stadium, the long-standing Test venue in this metropolis before the construction of the Wankhede Stadium, will play host to the Indian Premier League after a gap of three seasons when holders Mumbai Indians clash with Chennai Super Kings in the Eliminator tomorrow.
Brabourne was the home venue of MI and hosted all their seven home games in 2010 when Wankhede was unavailable as it was being revamped to organise the 2011 World Cup matches.
MI had made the Cricket Club of India, that owns Brabourne, a veritable fortress then -- similar to the way they made the Wankhede last year -- as they won six out of seven games there, the only loss coming against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
But Mumbai had another venue to host IPL games then, the D Y Patil Sports Academy in neighbouring Navi Mumbai, which not only hosted the opening game between 2009 winners Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders on March 12 but also all the four knock out games - including the April 25 final between MI and Chennai Super Kings.
While CCI has not hosted an IPL game since 2010, the now scratched Pune Warriors' home venue was the DYP in 2011 as their own home ground was under construction on the outskirts of Pune.
CCI were not to host any game this year too as per the original schedule drawn up by the Cricket Board before the Eliminator was offered to them after the rescheduling of the
play off games.
