The schedule for the second phase of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has been released.
The IPL Committee shared this information via its social media handles at 6:00 PM.
A total of 50 matches will be played across 12 venues between April 13 and May 24. This includes 8 double headers.
Defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) have adopted Raipur as their second home ground; the team is scheduled to play two matches there. In the first phase, 20 matches are scheduled to take place between March 28 and April 12. While the schedule for the playoffs has not yet been announced, the final is confirmed to be played in Bangalore on May 31.
Not 84, But 74 Matches to be Played
The tournament will consist of a total of 74 matches. The league stage will feature 70 matches, while the playoff stage will comprise 4 matches. Earlier reports had suggested that this season would feature 84 matches; however, the IPL Committee decided against increasing the total number of matches.
MI vs CSK Match on April 23
The second phase of the tournament will kick off with a match involving Sunrisers Hyderabad; however, this time the team will face Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad. Conversely, in the first phase, the team is scheduled to play its opening match against RCB at the Bangalore venue.
The two most successful franchises in IPL history—Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings—will face each other for the first time this season in Mumbai on April 23. The two rivals will meet again in Chennai on May 2. The final day of the league stage will feature two matches: Mumbai will take on Rajasthan in the afternoon, while the Kolkata team will face Delhi in the evening.
Hyderabad and Delhi to Play 4 Afternoon Matches Each
Among the 10 participating teams, Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans are the only two franchises scheduled to play just one afternoon match each. Both teams will play 13 matches each during the evening slots. Hyderabad and Delhi have the highest number of afternoon fixtures, with each team scheduled to play four matches starting at 3:30 PM. Punjab and Lucknow are scheduled to play three afternoon matches each. Meanwhile, Rajasthan, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bengaluru each have two matches scheduled for the afternoon. In total, double-headers will be played on 12 days.
Raipur and Dharamshala Serve as Second Home Grounds for Two Teams
The IPL features 10 teams. Each team will play 7 matches at their designated home ground and 7 matches at the home grounds of their opposing teams. In addition to the 10 primary home grounds for the 10 teams, the Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings have each selected a second home ground. Rajasthan will play its first three home matches in Guwahati, while the remaining four matches will be held in Jaipur. Bengaluru’s second home ground is Raipur, and Punjab’s is Mullanpur.
Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Hyderabad, Lucknow, Jaipur, Dharamshala, Raipur, Mullanpur, and Guwahati serve as the 13 venues for the tournament. A total of 70 league-stage matches will be played across these locations.
The four playoff matches are scheduled to be held in Mullanpur and Bengaluru; however, the specific dates for these matches are yet to be announced.
