Rejecting the official broadcaster's request for a change in match timings, the Board of control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to go with the conventional time slots. The three-time title-winners and defending champions Mumbai Indians (MI) will take on Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in the opening match of the 11th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL), starting April 7.
"Defending champions Mumbai Indians will take on two-time winners Chennai Super Kings in what promises to be a marquee opening game of Indian Premier League 2018, to be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Saturday, April 7, 2018," the BCCI said in a statement.
Two months before the start of the fresh season, the league official broadcaster, Star India, proposed a change in match timings. However, IPL franchises opposed the proposed timings, claiming the new schedule will result in losing TV audience.
The broadcaster had proposed the 8 PM matches to be shifted to 7 PM, while matches scheduled for 4 PM will be postponed to 5:30 PM. (Read full story)
The first match on April 7 will be held at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, which will also see the return of two-time winners CSK from a two-year ban owing to involvement in corruption.
The venues for eliminator and qualifier 2 have not been confirmed yet while the qualifier 1 and the final will be played at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on May 22 and 27 respectively.
As per the fixtures posted on the IPL website, there will be 48 evening matches and 12 afternoon starts. The double headers timings remained unchanged, while the opening ceremony will take place in Mumbai on April 6.
In its 11th year, the tournament's first doubleheaders will be held on April 8, with Delhi Daredevils hosting Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders facing Royal challengers Bangalore at home.
Rajasthan Royals, also coming into the fold after a two-year suspension, will open their campaign Sunrisers Hyderabad in the Telangana capital on April 9.
Here is the complete IPL 2018 schedule:
Saturday 7th April 2018
Mumbai Indians v Chennai Super Kings
Match 1, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Sunday 8th April 2018
Delhi Daredevils v Kings XI Punjab
Match 2, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi
Kolkata Knight Riders v Royal Challengers Bangalore
Match 3, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Monday 9th April 2018
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Rajasthan Royals
Match 4, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
Tuesday 10th April 2018
Chennai Super Kings v Kolkata Knight Riders
Match 5, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Wednesday 11th April 2018
Rajasthan Royals v Delhi Daredevils
Match 6, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Thursday 12th April 2018
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Mumbai Indians
Match 7, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
Friday 13th April 2018
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kings XI Punjab
Match 8, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Saturday 14th April 2018
Mumbai Indians v Delhi Daredevils
Match 9, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Kolkata Knight Riders v Sunrisers Hyderabad
Match 10, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Sunday 15th April 2018
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Rajasthan Royals
Match 11, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Kings XI Punjab v Chennai Super Kings
Match 12, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore
Monday 16th April 2018
Kolkata Knight Riders v Delhi Daredevils
Match 13, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Tuesday 17th April 2018
Mumbai Indians v Royal Challengers Bangalore
Match 14, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Wednesday 18th April 2018
Rajasthan Royals v Kolkata Knight Riders
Match 15, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Thursday 19th April 2018
Kings XI Punjab v Sunrisers Hyderabad
Match 16, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore
Friday 20th April 2018
Chennai Super Kings v Rajasthan Royals
Match 17, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Saturday 21st April 2018
Kolkata Knight Riders v Kings XI Punjab
Match 18, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Delhi Daredevils v Royal Challengers Bangalore
Match 19, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi
Sunday 22nd April 2018
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Chennai Super Kings
Match 20, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians
Match 21, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Monday 23rd April 2018
Kings XI Punjab v Delhi Daredevils
Match 22, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Holkar Cricket Stadium, Indore
Tuesday 24th April 2018
Mumbai Indians v Sunrisers Hyderabad
Match 23, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Wednesday 25th April 2018
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Chennai Super Kings
Match 24, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Thursday 26th April 2018
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kings XI Punjab
Match 25, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
Friday 27th April 2018
Delhi Daredevils v Kolkata Knight Riders
Match 26, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi
Saturday 28th April 2018
Chennai Super Kings v Mumbai Indians
Match 27, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Sunday 29th April 2018
Rajasthan Royals v Sunrisers Hyderabad
Match 28, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Kolkata Knight Riders
Match 29, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Monday 30th April 2018
Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Daredevils
Match 30, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Tickets Match Centre
Tuesday 1st May 2018
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Mumbai Indians
Match 31, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Wednesday 2nd May 2018
Delhi Daredevils v Rajasthan Royals
Match 32, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi
Thursday 3rd May 2018
Kolkata Knight Riders v Chennai Super Kings
Match 33, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Friday 4th May 2018
Kings XI Punjab v Mumbai Indians
Match 34, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali
Saturday 5th May 2018
Chennai Super Kings v Royal Challengers Bangalore
Match 35, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Delhi Daredevils
Match 36, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
Sunday 6th May 2018
Mumbai Indians v Kolkata Knight Riders
Match 37, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Kings XI Punjab v Rajasthan Royals
Match 38, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali
Monday 7th May 2018
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Royal Challengers Bangalore
Match 39, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
Tuesday 8th May 2018
Rajasthan Royals v Kings XI Punjab
Match 40, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Wednesday 9th May 2018
Kolkata Knight Riders v Mumbai Indians
Match 41, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Thursday 10th May 2018
Delhi Daredevils v Sunrisers Hyderabad
Match 42, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi
Friday 11th May 2018
Rajasthan Royals v Chennai Super Kings
Match 43, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Saturday 12th May 2018
Kings XI Punjab v Kolkata Knight Riders
Match 44, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Delhi Daredevils
Match 45, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Sunday 13th May 2018
Chennai Super Kings v Sunrisers Hyderabad
Match 46, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Mumbai Indians v Rajasthan Royals
Match 47, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Monday 14th May 2018
Kings XI Punjab v Royal Challengers Bangalore
Match 48, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), IS Bindra Stadium, Mohali
Tuesday 15th May 2018
Kolkata Knight Riders v Rajasthan Royals
Match 49, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Eden Gardens, Kolkata
Wednesday 16th May 2018
Mumbai Indians v Kings XI Punjab
Match 50, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Thursday 17th May 2018
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Sunrisers Hyderabad
Match 51, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bengaluru
Friday 18th May 2018
Delhi Daredevils v Chennai Super Kings
Match 52, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi
Saturday 19th May 2018
Rajasthan Royals v Royal Challengers Bangalore
Match 53, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), Sawai Mansingh Stadium, Jaipur
Sunrisers Hyderabad v Kolkata Knight Riders
Match 54, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Rajiv Gandhi Intl. Cricket Stadium, Hyderabad
Sunday 20th May 2018
Delhi Daredevils v Mumbai Indians
Match 55, 16:00 IST (10:30 GMT), Feroz Shah Kotla Ground, Delhi
Chennai Super Kings v Kings XI Punjab
Match 56, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), M. A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai
Tuesday 22nd May 2018
TBC v TBC
Qualifier 1, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
Wednesday 23rd May 2018
TBC v TBC
Eliminator, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), TBC, TBC
Friday 25th May 2018
TBC v TBC
Qualifier 2, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), TBC, TBC
Sunday 27th May 2018
TBC v TBC
Final, 20:00 IST (14:30 GMT), Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai
(With PTI inputs)
