The Indian Premier League 2024 will conclude on May 26, a week before the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in North America, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) says.

The 10-week tournament is scheduled to end at Chennai’s MA Chidambaram Stadium, home of reigning champions Chennai Super Kings, the BCCI said on Monday in a statement announcing the tournament’s full schedule.

The lucrative franchise league attracts some of the world’s leading cricketers who have signed multimillion-dollar contracts with its 10 teams, but they will now face the prospect of heading into the T20 World Cup with only a weeklong break in-between.

The 20-team showpiece event in the United States and the Caribbean will run June 2-29. Players from nine of those 20 nations are part of IPL franchise teams.

Last month, IPL organisers announced a partial schedule for the first 21 fixtures until April 7. The full schedule announcement comes a few days after India released the schedule for its general election, which will be held from April to early June.

Issues related to the management, adequate policing and security of the tournament while the country goes to the polls were understood to be behind the curtailed announcement.

Several teams – including Delhi Capitals, Punjab Kings and Rajasthan Royals – will play some of their home games at neutral venues in Dharamsala and Guwahati.

The Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host the first two games of the knockout stage – the qualifier and first eliminator – on May 21 and 22 while Chennai will host the second qualifier on May 24 and the final two days later.

Source: Al Jazeera

BDST: 1111 HRS, MAR 26, 2024
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