First Phase Schedule Announced
- The schedule for the first phase of the 19th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is now confirmed. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the fixtures for the first 20 matches. The tournament will start on the 28th of this month.
- The schedule comes despite several challenges. The ongoing conflict between the United States and Israel and Iran continues to create travel problems. The board completed the first phase of tournament scheduling despite these challenges.
Opening Match in Bengaluru
- The first match is planned in Bengaluru. Sunrisers Hyderabad will face defending champions Royal Challengers Bangalore.
- The second match of the season will take place the next day. Mumbai will face Kolkata at Wankhede Stadium.
Multiple Double-Header Days
The schedule includes several days with two matches. Double-header matches will take place on:
- April 4
- April 5
- April 11
- April 12
The current plan shows that the first phase of matches will finish on April 12.
Remaining Schedule Yet to Be Announced
The remaining fixtures will be released later. The announcement depends on election dates in three Indian states:
- Tamil Nadu
- Assam
- West Bengal
The BCCI will publish the rest of the IPL schedule after these election dates become official.
Bengaluru Venue Under Review
- The opening match venue is not fully confirmed yet. Bengaluru remains under review due to an incident last year. Eleven people died in a stampede during the victory celebrations at Chinnaswamy Stadium after RCB won the IPL trophy.
- Reports suggest that five matches could still be held at this stadium. The final decision rests with the Karnataka government. Officials must examine the expert committee report before they can give their approval.
Matches Across Multiple Venues
- The first 20 matches of IPL Season 19 will take place across 10 venues in India.
- Sunrisers Hyderabad will also play at home during this phase. The team will face Lucknow in Uppal on April 5.
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