PBL 2017: Chennai not to host semis and final, venue shifted to Hyderabad

Chennai will now play host for the league matches from January 5 to 9, while Hyderabad will host the semifinals clashes as well as the final on January 14.

The Pro Badminton League will see the best of Indian players take on their foreign counterparts in a league-based format, starting on December 23.

It is confirmed that Chennai will not host the semifinals and final of the Premier Badminton League (PBL) as announced earlier. Chennai will now play host for the league matches from January 5 to 9.

Instead, Hyderabad will host the last four (January 12 & 13) clashes and the final (Jan. 14), Prasad Mangipudi, Executive Director of SportzLive, event organisers, told Sportstar on Friday.

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Earlier, Hyderabad was supposed to host the league matches from January 5 to 9, but some other event had already been booked at the Sports Authority of Andhra Pradesh-owned venue. SportzLive was hopeful that it would get the dates, but it couldn't in the end.

However, Chennai will host five league matches from January 5 to 9, which will also be the stage where all the semifinalists would be identified.

"Earlier, Chennai Smashers were supposed to play one home match, now with this tweak, it will play two or may be three matches. And moreover from January 5 to 9, all the top players of eight teams will participate, making it possible for viewers to see all the top players in action," said Prasad.

Prasad added that the Chennai Smashers was co-operative and that they are grateful for it. "By Monday, November 27, we will have the complete schedule," he said.