The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Sunday announced the schedule for the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). The season 14 opener of the cricketing extravaganza will take place between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore on April 9.

While the first match will be played in Chennai, the final will take place at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on May 30.

The tournament will be initially without the spectators, the Indian cricket board said.

"The IPL this year at home will be played behind closed doors to begin with and a call on allowing spectators will be taken at a later stage of the tournament," Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.

"The fixtures of the tournament have been mapped in a way that every team will travel only three times during the league stage, thus reducing commute and minimising risk," Shah said.

"After hosting the tournament safely and successfully in the UAE last year ... the BCCI is confident of hosting the IPL at home with health and safety of players and all people involved being paramount," he added.

DATE     MATCH TIME      VENUE

9-Apr     MI vs RCB            7:30 PM                Chennai

10-Apr  CSK vs DC            7:30 PM                Mumbai

11-Apr  SRH vs KKR          7:30 PM                Chennai

12-Apr  RR vs PK               7:30 PM                Mumbai

13-Apr  KKR vs MI            7:30 PM                Chennai

14-Apr  SRH vs RCB          7:30 PM                Chennai

15-Apr  RR vs DC               7:30 PM                Mumbai

16-Apr  PK vs CSK             7:30 PM                Mumbai

17-Apr  MI vs SRH            7:30 PM                Chennai

18-Apr  RCB vs KKR          3:30 PM                Chennai

18-Apr  DC vs PK               7:30 PM                Mumbai

19-Apr  CSK vs RR             7:30 PM                Mumbai

20-Apr  DC vs MI              7:30 PM                Chennai

21-Apr  PK vs SRH            3:30 PM                Chennai

21-Apr  KKR vs CSK          7:30 PM                Mumbai

22-Apr  RCB vs RR            7:30 PM                Mumbai

23-Apr  PK vs MI               7:30 PM                Chennai

24-Apr  RR vs KKR            7:30 PM                Mumbai

25-Apr  CSK vs RCB          3:30 PM                Mumbai

25-Apr  SRH vs DC            7:30 PM                Chennai

26-Apr  PK vs KKR            7:30 PM                Ahmedabad

27-Apr  DC vs RCB            7:30 PM                Ahmedabad

28-Apr  CSK vs SRH          7:30 PM                Delhi

29-Apr  MI vs RR               3:30 PM                Delhi

29-Apr  DC vs KKR            7:30 PM                Ahmedabad

30-Apr  PK vs RCB            7:30 PM                Ahmedabad

1-May   MI vs CSK            7:30 PM                Delhi

2-May   RR vs SRH            3:30 PM                Delhi

2-May   PK vs DC               7:30 PM                Ahmedabad

3-May   KKR vs RCB          7:30 PM                Ahmedabad

4-May   SRH vs MI            7:30 PM                Delhi

5-May   RR vs CSK             7:30 PM                Delhi

6-May   RCB vs PK            7:30 PM                Ahmedabad

7-May   SRH vs CSK          7:30 PM                Delhi

8-May   KKR vs DC            3:30 PM                Ahmedabad

8-May   RR vs MI               7:30 PM                Delhi

9-May   CSK vs PK             3:30 PM                Bengaluru

9-May   RCB vs SRH          7:30 PM                Kolkata

10-May MI vs KKR            7:30 PM                Bengaluru

11-May DC vs RR               7:30 PM                Kolkata

12-May CSK vs KKR          7:30 PM                Bengaluru

13-May MI vs PK               3:30 PM                Bengaluru

13-May SRH vs RR            7:30 PM                Kolkata

14-May RCB vs DC            7:30 PM                Kolkata

15-May KKR vs PK            7:30 PM                Bengaluru

16-May RR vs RCB            3:30 PM                Kolkata

16-May CSK vs MI            7:30 PM                Bengaluru

17-May DC vs SRH            7:30 PM                Kolkata

18-May KKR vs RR            7:30 PM                Bengaluru

19-May SRH vs PK            7:30 PM                Bengaluru

20-May RCB vs MI            7:30 PM                Kolkata

21-May KKR vs SRH          3:30 PM                Bengaluru

21-May DC vs CSK            7:30 PM                Kolkata

22-May PK vs RR               7:30 PM                Bengaluru

23-May MI vs DC              3:30 PM                Kolkata

23-May RCB vs CSK          7:30 PM                Kolkata

25-May Qualifier 1           7:30 PM                Ahmedabad

26-May Eliminator            7:30 PM                Ahmedabad

28-May Qualifier 2           7:30 PM                Ahmedabad

30-May Final       7:30 PM                Ahmedabad

(All times in India Standard Time - IST)

A total of 56 group matches and the knockouts will be played across six venues that include Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, Mumbai.

"The season will kickstart on 9th April, 2021 in Chennai with a high-octane clash between defending champions Mumbai Indians and Royal Challengers Bangalore," BCCI said in its release.

"The world’s largest cricket stadium - Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, will host the Playoffs as well as the final on 30th May."

The stadium will be hosting the IPL matches for the first time.

There will be a total of 11 double headers. The afternoon games are slated for a 3:30 pm IST start while the evening games will have a 7:30 pm IST start.

"Each team is set to play at four venues during the league stage. Out of the 56 league matches, Chennai, Mumbai, Kolkata & Bengaluru will host 10 matches each while Ahmedabad and Delhi will host 8 matches each," the BCCI release further said.

"One of the highlights of this edition of the IPL will be the fact that all matches will be played at neutral venues, no team will play at their home venue. All teams will play at 4 out of 6 venues during the league stage."

Last year's edition of the popular Twenty20 competition was held in the United Arab Emirates as India grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic.

 

 

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