Mumbai, Feb 23:
The Board of Control for Cricket in India announced the schedule for the first two weeks of the TATA Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024, commencing from March 22 to April 7.
During the two weeks, 21 matches will be played across 10 cities, with each team playing a minimum of three matches and a maximum of five, BCCI Honorary Secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.
The 17th season will kick off with defending champions and five-time winners Chennai Super Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore in Chennai on Friday, March 22.
The first weekend will feature two doubleheaders, beginning with the Punjab Kings hosting the Delhi Capitals on Saturday afternoon, followed by the Kolkata Knight Riders hosting the Sunrisers Hyderabad in the evening.
On Sunday afternoon (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 Sunday, 31 March in the port city and will then face the Kolkata Knight Riders at the same venue on Wednesday, 3 April.
As in the past, the BCCI will work closely with the government and security agencies, following all necessary protocols and advisories related to the upcoming Lok Sabha elections in India.
Once the dates for the 18th Lok Sabha elections are announced, the Board will review and address any issues about the schedule of the first two weeks.
Subsequently, the BCCI will work in tandem with local authorities to finalise the schedule for the remainder of the season, taking into account the polling dates.
