The next edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2024) is set to kickstart on March 22 while the second iteration of the Women’s Premier League (WPL) begins earlier in February, stated a report by Dainik Jagran.
The IPL 2024 begins 11 days after the completion of India’s five-match Test series at home against England, with the fifth Test scheduled to conclude on March 11 in Dharamshala. By then also the senior domestic season for 2023-24 would’ve also finished with the summit clash of the Ranji Trophy spanning March 10-14.
A slight uncertainty had hovered over IPL’s conduct and how many matches could possibly be held on Indian shores considering the Lok Sabha Elections will also be held in the April-May window. The BCCI has previously countered the security obstacles posed by shifting the tournament entirely in 2009 to South Africa and partly in 2014 to UAE.
IPL 2024 To Start On March 22
However, Dainik Jagran reported, all efforts are being made for the tournament to go ahead on time and for all 74 matches to be played in India with BCCI secretary Jay Shah, indulging in fruitful discussions with the government authorities and security heads.
Sources privy to the developments stated Shah has had conversations with several ministers to ensure the smoothest possible conduct of the IPL without any disturbances caused to the Election process and its security.
Dates for the league matches and the playoffs will be arranged keeping the voting phase in mind. The IPL 2024 is also set to conclude earlier than its traditional fag-end of May date due to its close proximity with the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, starting June 1.
The BCCI would like to give the Rohit Sharma-led Indian side reasonable preparation time together in the West Indies and USA with the team also due to play ICC warm-up games ahead of their Group A encounters versus Ireland, Pakistan, USA and Canada.