The 17th season of the popular and cash-rich T20 franchise league — the Indian Premier League — will begin on March 22 with defending champions and five-time winners Chennai Super Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the schedule for the first two weeks of the league and 21 matches will be played across 10 cities, with each team playing a minimum of three matches and a maximum of five, until April 7.
The tournament will be played in two halves as it coincides with the general elections in India. The elections are expected to be held in April and May.
Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels.
League chairman Arun Dhumal had earlier said that the roster for the remaining games will be decided after the announcement of the general election dates.
“As in the past, the BCCI will work closely with government and security agencies, following all necessary protocols and advisories related to the upcoming Lok Sabha Elections in India,” the BCCI said in a statement on Thursday.
“Once the dates for the 18th Lok Sabha elections are announced, the Board will review and address any issues pertaining to the schedule of the first two weeks. Subsequently, the BCCI will work in tandem with local authorities to finalize the schedule for the remainder of the season, taking into account the polling dates,” the statement added.
The first weekend of the competition will feature two double headers, beginning with the Punjab Kings hosting the Delhi Capitals followed by the Kolkata Knight Riders hosting the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the evening.
On March 24, the action will shift to Jaipur, where the home team Rajasthan Royals will face the Lucknow Super Giants.
Sunday evening will witness the home team Gujarat Titans, the 2022 champions and finalists of the last season, going head-to-head with five-time winners Mumbai Indians.
Having chosen to play their first two home matches in Visakhapatnam, the Delhi Capitals will first host the Chennai Super Kings on March 31 in the port city and will then face the Kolkata Knight Riders at the same venue on April 3.