The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to begin on March 31, 2023, with defending champions Gujarat Titans taking on Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad. The 14th edition of the IPL is back to its traditional home-and-away format in India after a gap of two years. Fans across the globe are eagerly waiting for the IPL to kick off.
The Women's Premier League final is scheduled to take place on March 26, prior to the commencement of the IPL. This sets the tone for an exciting season of cricket ahead. All ten teams in the IPL will play their opening weekend matches, including Titans against CSK, Punjab Kings against Kolkata Knight Riders in Mohali, and Lucknow Super Giants playing Delhi Capitals in Lucknow on April 1.
The teams are divided into two groups, Group A and Group B, with Group A consisting of Mumbai, Knight Riders, Royals, Capitals, and Super Giants. Group B includes Super Kings, Royal Challengers, Titans, Kings, and Sunrisers. Every team will play five teams twice - four from their own group and one from the other group, and four teams once, making for a total of 70 matches in the 52-day period from March 31 to May 21.
There will be 18 double-headers on Saturdays and Sundays during the league phase, with matches scheduled in 12 different cities. There are ten regular venues, including Chennai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Mumbai, Kolkata, Lucknow, Delhi, Ahmedabad, Jaipur, and Mohali. In addition, some matches will be played in Guwahati (Royals' second home) and Dharamsala (Kings' second home).
The two most successful teams in IPL history, Mumbai Indians and Super Kings, will play each other twice on April 8 and May 6, with the latter match marking the 1000th match in IPL history since its inception in 2008. Super Kings will also return to their original home at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The return of the IPL to its traditional format in India has generated a lot of excitement among cricket fans, who hope for a smooth and uninterrupted season. They are looking forward to witnessing some of the finest cricketing talent from around the world in action.
