IPL 2025 to begin on March 21 in Kolkata: Report
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New Delhi: The 2025 season of the Indian Premier League (IPL) is set to kick off on March 21, with Eden Gardens in Kolkata hosting both the tournament opener and the final, scheduled for May 25.
According to a report by ESPNcricinfo, the Women’s Premier League (WPL) 2025 will precede the IPL, running from February 7 to March 2. Ahead of the mega auction held in November, the IPL management revealed the windows for the next three seasons (2025-27) to franchises. For 2025, the tournament window was initially set between March 15 and May 25. However, to avoid clashing with the Champions Trophy final on March 9, the IPL opted for a March 21 start, leaving a gap of nearly two weeks. The full schedule is expected to be announced later this month.
As per tradition, the defending champions’ home venue will host the opening and final matches. This year, Eden Gardens, the home ground of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who won the IPL 2024, will have the honor.
The 2025 IPL season will feature 74 matches, the same as the previous three seasons. However, this is ten fewer than the 84 matches initially proposed in the IPL’s 2022 media rights tender for the 2023-27 cycle. The tender outlined plans for varying match numbers each season: 74 games for 2023 and 2024, 84 games for 2025 and 2026, and up to 94 games for 2027.
Meanwhile, the WPL 2025 will introduce two new venues—Baroda and Lucknow—alongside Mumbai and Bengaluru. The specific number of matches per venue has not been finalized, as the WPL schedule is still awaited.
Both leagues are expected to captivate fans worldwide with their exciting lineups and expanded scope.
With IANS inputs