IPL 2025 to start on THIS date, Rajat Patidar's RCB to face reigning champions KKR at Eden Gardens

The much-anticipated 18th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) is set to kick off with an exciting match between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) on March 22 at the iconic Eden Gardens in Kolkata. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has yet to release the official schedule for IPL 2025, reports from Cricbuzz suggest that important game dates have been communicated to the participating franchises.

Last year's runners-up, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), will begin their campaign at home at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal. They are set to take on Rajasthan Royals (RR) in an afternoon match on Sunday, March 23, marking SRH's first home game of the season.

In an exciting development, Guwahati will host its first IPL matches as the second home venue for Rajasthan Royals. The Royals are slated to play two evening matches there, facing Kolkata Knight Riders on March 26 and Chennai Super Kings on March 30.

Hyderabad has been selected to host Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator matches, while Kolkata will be the venue for Qualifier 2 and the grand final.

After a Special General Meeting (SGM) in Mumbai on January 12, BCCI Vice-President Rajeev Shukla initially suggested a March 23 start date for IPL 2025. However, the schedule has been revised, with sources indicating that the change to a Saturday start was made at the request of broadcasters. The full fixture list is expected to be released soon.

In addition to the 10 regular centers like Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mullanpur, Delhi, Jaipur, Kolkata, and Hyderabad, this season's matches will also take place in Guwahati and Dharamsala. Guwahati will be making its IPL debut, as the Rajasthan Royals have chosen the North-East city as their second venue, with matches set for March 26 and 30 against Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings.

Likewise, Dharamsala will once again host a few home games for Punjab Kings, with the potential to hold three games this season. As previously announced, Hyderabad will be the venue for Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator matches, while Kolkata will host Qualifier 2 and the final match.

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