IPL 2024 to Kick Off on March 22, Entirely in India

The Indian Premier League (IPL), a highly anticipated cricket tournament, is set to commence on March 22, 2024, as confirmed by league chairman Arun Dhumal. This year's edition, the 17th in the series, will be held entirely within India, despite the upcoming general elections.

The schedule for the tournament is yet to be announced due to the elections, which are expected to take place in April and May. Dhumal stated that initially, only the schedule for the first 15 days will be released, with the remaining games to be decided after the election dates are announced.

"We are looking at a March 22 start for the tournament. We are working closely with the government agencies and we will first release the initial schedule. The entire tournament will be held in India," Dhumal told PTI.

The IPL has been held entirely overseas only once, in 2009, when it was hosted in South Africa. In 2014, a portion of the tournament was held in the UAE due to the elections. However, in 2019, the IPL took place in India despite the elections.

The final of the IPL is likely to be held on May 26, just before the T20 World Cup begins. India's first World Cup match will be against Ireland in New York on June 5. The tournament will start with a clash between the USA and Canada on June 1.

The IPL opener will follow the tradition of being played between the previous year's finalists, with the Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans taking the field. The players' auction for the 2024 season took place in December last year, with Australian pacer Mitchell Starc becoming the most expensive player in IPL history after being bought by the Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 24.75 crore.

The IPL is one of the most popular cricket tournaments in the world, attracting millions of viewers and generating significant revenue. The tournament features some of the best cricketers from around the world, and it is known for its exciting matches and high-scoring games.

Tags: #IPL2024, #Cricket, #India, #Elections, #Schedule