Indian Premier League’s (IPL) 16th edition is likely to start on April 1 or April 2, a top governing council source told Sports Tak on December 10 (Saturday). Also, the tournament is likely to witness 74 matches with the opening game of the campaign likely to be played in Ahmedabad.
"We are looking for a window to stage men's IPL. We have sorted out a few dates and the tournament may start on April 01 (Saturday) or April 02 (Sunday). The tournament will see 74 matches. As of now the opening ceremony and first match are expected to be held in Ahmedabad. We are waiting for a proper plan for the tournament from the operation team," the source said on condition of anonymity.
Earlier, Sports Tak had reported that the cash-rich tournament will start in the first week of April with the venue for the opening match likely to be Mumbai.
In November, all franchises announced their list of retained and released players. A total of 90 players were released as few franchises decided to go into the IPL 2023 auction with a heavy purse in an attempt to rebuild their squad. The mini-auction will take place in Kochi on December 23.
Hugh Edmeades who collapsed during the IPL 2022 auction due to "postural hypotension" will return to his duties as auctioneer once again.
Talking about the inaugural edition of the Women's Indian Premier League (WIPL), the source said that the tournament is likely to begin either on March 07 or March 10.
