Opening match of the 19th season of Indian Premier League It will not include both the defending champions and the runners-up of the 2025 edition. Finalists Royal Challengers Bangalore and Punjab Kings have to play different matches in the first two days of the tournament.
Traditionally, the league prefers a high-profile start to the season, often involving the defending champions. This year, the curtain-raiser could see champions Royal Challengers Bangalore take on the always popular Chennai Super Kings. According to reports by Brand Finance and Duff & Phelps, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders are among the four most prominent marquee teams in the league.
It is understood that runners-up Punjab Kings will begin their campaign against Gujarat Titans at their home ground in Mullanpur on March 29. As announced earlier, the IPL season will begin on March 28 in Bengaluru.
Earlier, it was confirmed that the 19th edition of the IPL will run from March 28 to May 31, slightly revised from the initial window of March 26 to May 30. However, the entire fixture list of the much-awaited tournament will not be released at once. Instead, Board of Control for Cricket in India secretary Devjit Saikia revealed that the schedule for the first 20 days of the tournament will be announced on Thursday, March 12.
Meanwhile, BCCI has informed all the franchises that the annual meeting with team captains and coaches will be held on March 25 in Mumbai. The meeting agenda will be shared later, although major rule changes and updates for the upcoming season are usually discussed during the gathering. The board has also informed the franchises that the photoshoot of the captains will be held on March 15 in New Delhi.
IPL 2026 promises to be an exciting edition, with many teams strengthening their squads through key signings during the mini-auction. Teams like KKR and CSK faced disappointing campaigns last year and have since opted for major changes in the squad as they look to make a strong comeback in the upcoming season.
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