Calcutta: Kolkata Knight Riders will play reigning champions Chennai Super Kings in the opening match of the fourth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on April 8, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, in Chennai. The preliminary schedule, released by the BCCI, has the ten franchises playing at 13 venues over 51 days. The schedule may undergo changes keeping in view the state assembly elections to be held in a number of the host venues.
“We are aware that the state assembly elections are planned in a number of the host cities. We are consulting the authorities and will confirm the schedule as soon as we are able to do so,” said Chirayu Amin, chairman of the IPL governing body.
To qualify for the final, the top four teams in the league will have to negotiate a new play-off system. The four play-off games after the league stage — as per the revised format announced last year — will be split evenly between the Wankhede Stadium and the MA Chidambaram Stadium, with Chennai hosting the final on May 28.
Meanwhile, the new Kochi franchise has announced that the side will be called “Indi Commandos.”
IPL IV schedule
April 8: CSK v KKR (Chennai); April 9: Chargers v RR (Hyderabad), Kochi v RCB (Kochi); April 10: DD v MI (Delhi), Pune v KXIP(Navi Mumbai); April 11: KKR v Chargers (Calcutta); April 12: RR v DD (Jaipur), RCB v MI, Bangalore (8 pm); April 13: Pune v Kochi (Navi Mumbai), KXIP v CSK (Mohali); April 14: DC v RCB, (Hyderabad); April 15: MI v Kochi (Mumbai), DD v KKR (Delhi); April 16: CSK v RCB (Chennai), DC v KXIP, (Hyderabad); April 17: RR v KKR (Jaipur), Pune v DD (Navi Mumbai); April 18: Kochi v CSK (Kochi); April 19: DD v DC (Delhi); RCB v RR (Bangalore); April 20: MI v Pune (Mumbai); KKR v Kochi (Calcutta); April 21: KXIP v RR (Mohali); April 22: MI v CSK (Mumbai); April 23: KKR v RCB (Calcutta), Delhi v KXIP (Delhi); April 24: DC v MI (Hyderabad), RR v Kochi (Jaipur); April 25: CSK v Pune (Chennai); April 26: DD v RCB (Delhi); April 27: Pune v CSK (Navi Mumbai), Kochi v DC (Kochi); April 28: KKR v KXIP (Calcutta); RR v MI (Jaipur); April 29: RCB v Pune (Bangalore); April 30: Kochi v DD (Kochi), MI v KXIP (Mumbai); May 1: RR v Pune (Jaipur), CSK v DC (Chennai); May 2: DD v Kochi (Delhi); May 3: DC v KKR (Hyderabad); May 4: CSK v RR (Chennai), Pune v MI (Navi Mumbai); May 5: Kochi v KKR (Kochi); DC v DD (Hyderabad); May 6: RCB v KXIP (Bangalore); May 7: KKR v CSK (Calcutta), MI v DD (Mumbai); May 8: RCB v Kochi (Bangalore), KXIP v Pune (Mohali), May 9: RR v CSK (Jaipur); May 10: KXIP v MI (Mohali), DC v Pune (Hyderabad); May 11: RR v RCB (Jaipur); May 12: CSK v DD (Chennai); May 13: Kochi v KXIP (Indore); May 14: MI v DC (Mumbai); RCB v KKR (Bangalore); May 15: KXIP v DD (Dharamsala), Kochi v RR (Indore); May 16: KKR v MI (Calcutta); May 17: Pune v DC (Pune); May 18: KXIP v RCB (Dharamshala), CSK v Kochi (Chennai); May 19: Pune v KKR (Pune); May 20: MI v RR (Mumbai); May 21: KXIP v DC (Dharamshala), DD v Pune (Delhi); May 22: RCB v CSK (Bangalore); KKR v RR (Calcutta); May 24: Qualifier 1 (Mumbai); May 25: Eliminator (Mumbai); May 27: Qualifier 2 (Chennai); May 28: Final (Chennai)
