IPL schedule for first two weeks is ready

MUMBAI: BCCI on Thursday released the schedule for the first phase of the 17th season of the Indian Premier League. The fixtures for 17 days and 21 matches from March 22 to April 7 have been released. The fixtures for the rest of the matches will be prepared after dates for the Lok Sabha elections in various states are announced.

Defending champion Chennai Super Kings (CSK) will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in the opening match of the IPL at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium.

The matches will be played across 10 cities, with each team playing a minimum of three matches and a maximum of five. However, as per this schedule, there will only be five days between the anticipated May 26 IPL final and June 1, when the men's T20 World Cup will begin in the USA and the Caribbean.

Once the Election Commission of India releases the dates of the General Elections, which are anticipated to take place in April and May, the second half of the tournament schedule will be released.

IPL first phase fixture

• Friday, March 22: Chennai Vs Bangalore
• Saturday, March 23: Punjab Vs Delhi and Kolkata Vs Hyderabad
• Sunday, March 24: Rajasthan Vs Lucknow and Gujarat Vs Mumbai
• Monday, March 25: Bangalore Vs Punjab
• Tuesday, March 26: Chennai Vs Gujarat
• Wednesday, March 27: Hyderabad Vs Mumbai
• Thursday, March 28: Rajasthan Vs Delhi
• Friday, March 29: Bangalore Vs Kolkata
• Saturday, March 30: Lucknow Vs Punjab
• Sunday, March 31: Gujarat Vs Hyderabad and Delhi Vs Chennai
• Monday, April 1: Mumbai Vs Rajasthan
• Tuesday, April 2: Bangalore Vs Lucknow
• Wednesday, April 3: Delhi Vs Kolkata
• Thursday, April 4: Gujarat Vs Punjab
• Friday, April 5: Hyderabad Vs Chennai
• Saturday, April 6: Rajasthan Vs Bangalore
• Sunday, April 7: Mumbai Vs Delhi and Lucknow Vs Gujarat