The IPL start date has been pushed back again. Initially scheduled for March 14, it was first postponed by a week to March 21. However, the date has now been changed once more. According to the revised schedule, the 18th edition of the IPL will now begin on Saturday, March 22.
As reported by cricket website Cricbuzz, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has finalized the new schedule. Despite the change in the opening match date, the final is set to remain unchanged. As per the original schedule, the IPL final will be played on Sunday, May 25.
Hosting the opening match at the reigning champions’ home ground has become a tradition in the IPL, and this year is no exception. The first match of this season will be held at Eden Gardens, home to the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders. The final is also expected to take place at the same venue.
In the opening match, Kolkata Knight Riders will face Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bengaluru. Similarly, last season’s runners-up, Sunrisers Hyderabad, will also begin their campaign at home. On March 23, they will take on Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium.
Although there were discussions about increasing the number of matches this season, the IPL governing council has ultimately decided to stick to the existing format. Like the last three years, the tournament will feature 74 matches. After discussions with stakeholders, including sponsors and broadcasters, the final schedule is expected to be officially announced in the coming days.
The mega auction for this IPL season was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, last November. A total of 182 players were bought by the 10 franchises for a combined sum of ₹6,391.5 crore. Additionally, 46 players were retained. However, despite the presence of 12 Bangladeshi cricketers in the auction, none were picked by any franchise.
