Overview
- Multiple reports indicate the two-day shift from the earlier March 26 plan, with formal approval expected at next week’s Governing Council meeting.
- Unannounced assembly election dates in Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu are driving the delay to the schedule release, affecting KKR, CSK and Rajasthan Royals’ Guwahati games.
- A phased fixtures announcement is under consideration, repeating an approach used in previous election years.
- The opening match is set to feature defending champions RCB, though the venue remains uncertain as the franchise weighs M. Chinnaswamy Stadium against alternates such as Navi Mumbai, Raipur and Pune after last year’s fatal stampede.
- Venue planning is further complicated by T20 World Cup commitments at Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai, Chennai and Ahmedabad, which require handover time before IPL matches can be staged.