The highly anticipated Indian Premier League (IPL) is primed to commence on March 22, marking the beginning of its 17th edition, as confirmed by league chairman Arun Dhumal to PTI. Despite the concurrent general elections, which are anticipated to take place in April and May, the IPL will be conducted entirely within India.
Dhumal revealed that the initial schedule for the first 15 days of matches will be released first, with the remaining fixtures determined subsequent to the announcement of the election dates by the authorities. The exact dates of the Lok Sabha polls are expected to be disclosed early next month, further facilitating IPL’s scheduling process.
While the IPL has previously been held overseas entirely in 2009 (South Africa) and partially in the UAE in 2014 due to general elections, the 2019 edition was successfully conducted in India despite similar circumstances.
With the T20 World Cup commencing shortly after the IPL’s conclusion, tentatively set for May 26, the tournament’s final is expected to align closely with this timeline. India’s inaugural World Cup fixture against Ireland is scheduled for June 5 in New York, with the ICC event beginning on June 1 with a clash between the USA and Canada.
Traditionally, the IPL opener features the previous year’s finalists, with the upcoming season’s first match set between defending champions Chennai Super Kings and runners-up Gujarat Titans.
The auction for the IPL 2024 season, held in December the previous year, witnessed Australian pacer Mitchell Starc emerge as the league’s most expensive player, securing a contract with Kolkata Knight Riders for a staggering Rs 24.75 crore.
As anticipation builds for another exhilarating season of cricketing action, fans eagerly await the unveiling of the complete IPL 2024 schedule and the unfolding of thrilling encounters across the nation’s cricket grounds.
