The 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) starts on March 22, 2025, promising another thrilling cricket season. As per tradition, the defending champions will launch the tournament in their home city. This year, Eden Gardens in Kolkata will host the opening match, featuring Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), last season’s winners.

Facing them will be Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), who recently named Rajat Patidar as their new captain. Meanwhile, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), last year’s runners-up, will begin their campaign at home on March 23. They will play an afternoon match against Rajasthan Royals (RR) at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal.

Official IPL 2025 Schedule Awaited

Cricket fans are eagerly waiting for the full IPL 2025 schedule, but the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not yet made an official announcement. However, reports suggest franchises have already received key match dates. The IPL 2025 final is expected to be held at Eden Gardens on May 25, following the tradition of hosting the championship in the defending champions’ city.

Earlier, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla hinted at a March 23 start during the Special General Meeting (SGM) on January 12 in Mumbai. However, the board has since revised the date. The official schedule should be announced soon.

IPL 2025 Expands to Guwahati and Dharamsala

Along with the 10 primary venues—Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mullanpur, Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Hyderabad—this season’s matches will also take place in Guwahati and Dharamsala.

• Guwahati makes its IPL debut as Rajasthan Royals’ second home ground. The Royals will host two evening matches there on March 26 and 30, playing against Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.
• Dharamsala, Punjab Kings’ alternate home venue last season, is expected to host at least two and possibly three matches this year.

Playoff Venues Confirmed

The venues for the IPL 2025 playoffs have also been decided:

• Qualifier 1 and Eliminator will take place in Hyderabad.
• Qualifier 2 and the Final will be hosted at Eden Gardens, Kolkata.

With excitement at an all-time high, IPL 2025 promises an electrifying season filled with intense matches. Fans can expect the official fixture list to be released soon.