RANCHI: While the 2024 edition of the Indian Premier League is likely to start on March 22, the announcement of the schedule is likely to be done in phases because of the general elections. As was the case in 2019, the entire season is expected to be played in India despite the Lok Sabha polls.
The IPL Governing Council, chaired by Arun Singh Dhumal, is closely working with the government agencies to finalise the schedule and ensure the smooth conduct of the tournament. Meanwhile, it is understood that the schedule for the initial set of matches would be announced first to get the tournament going and the rest of the schedule will be announced once the election dates are out.
“We are planning to start it on March 22 and by that time, we will have the election dates out. Then we can take a call on the remaining set of matches. The initial set of schedule has to go out so that they can prepare for that. Once the election schedule gets announced, then we will announce the rest (of the schedule),” a source keeping track of the developments told this daily.
It is not the first time the league has seen a phased-out announcement. In 2019, another year that had general elections, the schedule for the first two weeks was announced first and the rest of the league games were announced in phases.
