IPL 2019 schedule announced, MS Dhoni’s CSK to face Virat Kohli’s RCB in opener

The fixtures for the 2019 Indian Premier League has been announced and it starts off with a blockbuster match on March 23. The opening game will see three-time and current champions Chennai Super Kings, captained by MS Dhoni, taking on Virat Kohli’s Royal Challengers Bangalore at the MA Chidambaram stadium in Chepauk. In 2018, Chennai Super Kings had played only one match at their home venue but the rest of the fixtures where shifted out of Chepauk following protests by some groups over the Cauvery issue. Chennai Super Kings won the 2018 edition of the tournament when they defeated Sunrisers Hyderabad in the final in Mumbai thanks to a brilliant century from Shane Watson.

In a statement released by the official website of the IPL, the tournament organisers said these dates were still subject to the announcement of the Lok Sabha 2019 election dates. The Election Commission is likely to announce the schedule of the Lok Sabha polls in the first week of March. “Once the election dates are released we will address any issues with the first two weeks and also prepare a schedule for the remainder of the season working with the local authorities around the polling dates,” the statement read.

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The 2009 edition of the IPL was held in South Africa as it clashed with the election dates while in the 2014 elections, one half of the IPL was played in the United Arab Emirates.

All the teams will play four matches in the two weeks. Mumbai Indians, the three-time champions will open their campaign against Delhi Capitals in Mumbai on March 24 while two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders will play 2016 champions Sunrisers Hyderabad in Kolkata. The Feroz Shah Kotla will host Delhi against Chennai Super Kings on March 26.

FIXTURES

SAT 23-MARCH CHENNAI SUPER KINGS ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE CHENNAI

SUN 24-MARCH KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS SUNRISERS HYDERABAD KOLKATA

MUMBAI INDIANS DELHI CAPITALS MUMBAI

MON 25-MARCH RAJASTHAN ROYALS KINGS XI PUNJAB JAIPUR

TUE 26-MARCH DELHI CAPITALS CHENNAI SUPER KINGS DELHI

WED 27-MARCH KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS KINGS XI PUNJAB KOLKATA

THU 28-MARCH ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE MUMBAI INDIANS BENGALURU

FRI 29-MARCH SUNRISERS HYDERABAD RAJASTHAN ROYALS HYDERABAD

SAT 30-MARCH KINGS XI PUNJAB MUMBAI INDIANS MOHALI

DELHI CAPITALS KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS DELHI

SUN 31-MARCH SUNRISERS HYDERABAD ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE HYDERABAD

CHENNAI SUPER KINGS RAJASTHAN ROYALS CHENNAI

MON 01-APRIL KINGS XI PUNJAB DELHI CAPITALS MOHALI

TUE 02-APRIL RAJASTHAN ROYALS ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE JAIPUR

WED 03-APRIL MUMBAI INDIANS CHENNAI SUPER KINGS MUMBAI

THU 04-APRIL DELHI CAPITALS SUNRISERS HYDERABAD DELHI

FRI 05-APRIL ROYAL CHALLENGERS BANGALORE KOLKATA KNIGHT RIDERS BENGALURU

HIGHLIGHTS

• RCB have won only once against CSK in Chepauk.
• The clash between CSK and RCB is dubbed the Kaveri Derby.
• CSK and Mumbai Indians are the three-time IPL champions.