NEW DELHI: The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will kick off on March 21 at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens, a week later than originally announced, with the final scheduled for May 25 at the same venue, as per a report on Cricbuzz.
This update comes after the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) adjusted the schedule from its earlier proposed dates of March 14 to May 25, 2025. The BCCI proposed the earlier dates ahead of the IPL auction in Jeddah last year. However, it is now suggested that the dates were a reserved window for the season and not the actual schedule for the 2025 edition.
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The change is also reportedly linked to the Champions Trophy final on March 9, with suggestions that broadcasters sought a later start to avoid overlap with the international event. However, broadcasting sources have denied making any such request.
In line with tradition, the Kolkata Knight Riders, IPL 2024 champions, will host both the opener and the final at Eden Gardens. The Sunrisers Hyderabad, last season’s runners-up, will host two playoff games.
The BCCI is expected to release the complete schedule shortly following the election of Devjit Saikia as secretary and Prabhtej Singh Bhatia as treasurer during a Special General Meeting in Mumbai on January 12.
Meanwhile, BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla on Sunday revealed that the Indian squad for the upcoming Champions Trophy will likely be announced on January 19.
