The complete schedule of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 season was announced on Friday, and the 16th edition of the franchise T20 league will kick off on March 31, just five days after the end of the Women's Premier League (WPL). The first IPL match will be played between the 2022 champions Gujarat Titans (GT) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and a total of 70 IPL matches will be played across 52 days.
Meanwhile, the first double-header of the season will also take place on April 1. On this day, the two-time champion team Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will compete against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mohali from 3:30 PM. In the second game, Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) will clash with Delhi Capitals at 7:30 pm.
READ ALSO: IPL 2023 Complete schedules of all teams
The IPL match between CSK and Mumbai Indians (MI) in Chepauk on May 6 will be the 1000th match of the IPL.
IPL 2023 has 10 teams in 2 groups
All 10 teams have been divided into two groups. Group A will have MI, RR, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Delhi Capitals (DC) and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG). Group B will have CSK, Punjab Kings, SRH, RCB and GT.
The final of the season will be played on May 28 at the Narendra Modi Stadium.
Format for IPL 2023
The IPL 2023 season format sees the teams from one group play one match with the others in the same group. Two matches will be played with the five teams of the second group. For example, CSK, in Group B, will play one match with the remaining teams of Group B i.e. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), GT, PBKS and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH).
READ ALSO: IPL schedule announced — Defending champions Gujarat to play CSK in the openeR
CSK will also play two matches against MI, KKR, Rajasthan Royals (RR), Delhi Capitals (DC) and LSG, who are in Group A. In this way, all 10 teams will play a total of 14 matches.
Opening week fixtures of IPL 2023
Chennai Super Kings vs Gujarat Titans, March 31
Punjab Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders, 1 April
Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals, April 1
Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Rajasthan Royals, April 2
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Mumbai Indians, April 2
Gujarat Titans head into the new season as the defending champions, with a seven-wicket victory over the Rajasthan Royals (RR) in the final. The Gujarat skipper took three wickets for 17 runs, including the important scalp of Jos Buttler for 39 to restrict Royals to 130 for 9 and then hit 34 off 30 balls.
