Play: The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will start on Saturday, March 22. As usual, the first match will feature the defending champions at their home ground. This time, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), the current champions, will play the opening match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
KKR will face Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who recently named Rajat Patidar as their new captain. Last year’s runners-up, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), will start their campaign at home. They will play against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal on Sunday, March 23. This will be an afternoon match.
BCCI Delays Official IPL 2024 Schedule (Play)
Fans are waiting for the full IPL schedule, but the BCCI has not officially announced it yet. However, the board has reportedly shared key match dates with the teams. Sources say the final will follow tradition and be held in the defending champions’ city. So, Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host the final on Sunday, May 25.
Earlier, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla had hinted that IPL might start on March 23, but now the board has changed the date. The broadcasters requested a Saturday start, and BCCI agreed. The full schedule should be out soon.
This season, matches will take place in 10 main cities: Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mullanpur, Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Hyderabad. Additionally, Guwahati and Dharamsala will also host games. Rajasthan Royals have chosen Guwahati as their second home and will play there on March 26 and 30. Their opponents will be Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.
Like last year, Punjab Kings will play some home games in Dharamsala. Reports suggest that the city might host three matches this season. As announced earlier, Hyderabad will host Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator, while Kolkata will host Qualifier 2 and the final.
