The Indian Premier League (IPL) is all set to start from March 22 with the first match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens. Two cities will be hosting the playoffs with Hyderabad hosting Qualifier 1 (May 20) and Eliminator (May 21). The Qualifier 2 (May 23) and final (May 25) will be hosted by Kolkata. Hence, the season will have 74 matches across 13 cities over two months.
Multiple Home Venues For Three Teams
Like last year, there are three teams which have more than one home ground.
- Delhi Capitals (DC): Delhi & Visakhapatnam
- Punjab Kings (PBKS): Mullanpur & Dharamsala
- Rajasthan Royals (RR): Jaipur & Guwahati
Also Read: IPL 2025: Mohammed Siraj Opens Up About Leaving RCB, Says ‘When I Come Against…’
Format For IPL 2025
There are 10 teams which have been split in two virtual groups.
Group A: Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), and Punjab Kings (PBKS).
Group B: Mumbai Indians (MI), Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Gujarat Titans (GT), Delhi Capitals (DC), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
Each team will be playing the other four teams in their group twice. Additionally they will play one team from the other group twice based on seeding, and face the remaining four teams once. This will ensure that every team plays 14 matches – seven at home and seven away.
New Rules For IPL 2025
- The ban on saliva which was used to shine the ball has been lifted.
- Hawk-Eye technology will now assist in making decisions on off-side wides, head-high wides, and waist-high no-balls.
Who Are The Players Missing Out?
Several key players are absent due to injuries and withdrawals. According to ESPNCricinfo, Jasprit Bumrah is set to miss the opening matches as he recovers from back injury. AM Ghanzanfar and Lizaad Williams have been ruled out.
According to ESPNCricinfo, Mayank Yadav will miss first half of the season due to injury, Harry Brook pulled out and Brydon Carse has been ruled out due to toe injury.
