Key Highlights
- The eighteenth edition of the Indian Premier League will commence on 22 March 2025.
- Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders host Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens for the opening match.
- Ten franchises are split into two groups of five, each playing 14 league games.
- The playoff format mirrors previous seasons: Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2 and the Final.
Detailed Insights
According to the Board of Control for Cricket in India, the 2025 IPL schedule features 73 fixtures spanning from 22 March to 25 May. The tournament adopts the same group‑stage schema used in 2024: Group A comprises Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, Rajasthan Royals, Punjab Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders; Group B contains Mumbai Indians, Gujarat Titans, Delhi Capitals, Sunrisers Hyderabad and Lucknow Super Giants.
Each side will contest 14 matches – eight against the other four teams in its own group, two against a designated cross‑group rival, and a single encounter with the remaining four opponents from the opposite group. The league phase culminates in a four‑team playoff series, with the top two squads competing in Qualifier 1, the third and fourth placed teams meeting in the Eliminator, followed by Qualifier 2 and the championship match.
Key venues include Eden Gardens (Kolkata), Dr. Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy ACA‑VDCA Stadium (Visakhapatnam), and the newly constructed New Chandigarh ground. Match timings are listed in Indian Standard Time (IST), generally at 3:30 PM or 7:30 PM.
Key Concepts
- Group Stage Format: A double‑round‑robin within groups plus cross‑group fixtures, yielding 14 games per franchise.
- Playoff Structure: Four decisive encounters – Qualifier 1, Eliminator, Qualifier 2, and the Final – determine the champion.
- Designated Opponent: Each team selects one rival from the opposite group to face twice, adding strategic depth.