IPL 2024 To Start With CSK vs RCB on 22 March, Schedule Announced for 21 Matches

#IPL2024 | The opening match will be played in Chennai's MA Chidambaram Stadium.

IPL 2024 will reportedly start from 22 March

(Photo: The Quint)

• The first 21 fixtures of IPL 2024 have been released.

• The tournament will commence on 22 March, with Chennai Super Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram Stadium.

• Matches will start at 3:30pm and 7:30pm.

• Delhi Capitals will play their first two home fixtures in Visakhapatnam.

• In his first match as the Mumbai Indians' skipper, Hardik Pandya will face his former team, Gujarat Titans.

• The remaining fixtures will be announced after the declaration of general election dates.

The 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will begin on 22 March, with Chennai Super Kings taking on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the opening encounter, scheduled to be held at the MA Chidambaran Stadium in Chennai. On Thursday (22 February), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the fixtures for the first 21 of the 74 matches of IPL 2024.

Following the clash between MS Dhoni's five-time champions and Faf du Plessis' Challengers, fans will witness a double-header on only the second day of the competition. Punjab Kings will take on Delhi Capitals in the first match of 23 March, in Mohali, whilst in the second fixture, Kolkata Knight Riders will be up against Sunrisers Hyderabad in Kolkata.

Like the previous season, the afternoon matches are set to commence at 3:30pm this time around as well, with the evening matches beginning at 7:30pm. The inaugural match, although, will begin at 8pm.

Among the seventeen matchdays for which fixtures have been released, four are double-headers – 23 March, 24 March, 1 April and 7 April.

Notably, with the Women's Premier League concluding on 17 March in Delhi's Arun Jaitley Stadium, Delhi Capitals will be playing their first two 'home' matches away from the capital, in Visakhapatnam. The Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy ACA-VDCA Cricket Stadium will host Delhi's matches against Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders, on 31 March and 3 April respectively.

In another interesting subplot, Hardik Pandya's first assignment as the skipper of Mumbai Indians will see him taking on his former team, Gujarat Titans, on 24 March.

The board has released the fixtures till 7 April, as the remaining fixtures will be announced only after the Election Commission of India (ECI) declares the schedule of General Elections 2024. It is expected that the ECI will announce dates in the second or third week of March.

"As in the past, the BCCI will work closely with 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 pertaining to the schedule of the first two weeks. Subsequently, the BCCI will work in tandem with local authorities to finalize the schedule for the remainder of the season, taking into account the polling dates," BCCI's statement read.

IPL 2024 Schedule Till 7 March

• 22 March – Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

• 23 March – Punjab Kings vs Delhi Capitals, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad

• 24 March – Rajasthan Royals vs Lucknow Super Giants, Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians

• 25 March – Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Punjab Kings

• 26 March – Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans

• 27 March – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians

• 28 March – Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Capitals

• 29 March – Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders

• 30 March – Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings

• 31 March – Gujarat Titans vs Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals vs Chennai Super Kings

• 1 April – Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals

• 2 April – Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Lucknow Super Giants

• 3 April – Delhi Capitals vs Kolkata Knight Riders

• 4 April – Gujarat Titans vs Punjab Kings

• 5 April – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Chennai Super Kings

• 6 April – Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

• 7 April – Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals, Lucknow Super Giants vs Sunrisers Hyderabad