IPL to start on March 26, around 40% crowd to be allowed in Maharashtra stadiums

The Indian Premier League 2022 will kick off on March 26. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has acceded to the demands of the Star, the host broadcaster which had asked for a Saturday start.

New Delhi: The 10-team Indian Premier League will start in Mumbai on March 26 and end on May 29 with around 40 percent crowd being allowed at the start of the tournament. "The IPL will start on Saturday, March 26," IPL chairman Brijesh Patel told PTI after the governing council meeting on Thursday.

With two new teams Lucknow Supergiants and Gujarat Titans added to the roster, there will be 74 matches with 70 of them being played at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium and Brabourne Stadium along with Navi Mumbai's DY Patil ground and Gahunje Stadium in Pune.

As many as 20 games each will be held at Wankhede and DY Patil, while 15 each will be hosted at Brabourne and Gahunje Stadium.

"Spectators will be allowed as per guidelines set by the Maharashtra government and to start with, it will be 40 percent. If the COVID situation remains under control and cases decline, it might be full house at the business end," a source said.

There has been no decision with regards to play-offs but Ahmedabad's Narendra Modi Stadium is likely to host the final.

It is learnt that 55 matches will be played in Mumbai, while 15 will be played in Pune.

"Each team will play same number of games at each of the stadiums. Mumbai Indians will play four games at Wankhede Stadium. We are having as many as 12 double headers and it was decided that Saturday start (march 26) allows us to host a double header on Sunday," an IPL source added.

BCCI secretary Jay Shah had earlier said that plan is to hold IPL in India and likewise BCCI were ready in earnest to host it in the country. The second option was South Africa ths time but it was a distant option.

PTI