The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Tuesday (Apr 2) announced the rescheduling of two Indian Premier League (IPL) matches. The fixtures between Kolkata Knight Riders and Rajasthan Royals as well as Gujarat Titans vs Delhi Capitals have been rescheduled, BCCI informed in a media release.
The KKR vs RR fixture will now take place on April 16 instead of the previous date viz. April 17 while the GT vs DC match has been pushed a day ahead, to be played on April 17 at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Although BCCI didn’t cite any reason for the changing of dates, reports suggest that the schedule change has been necessitated due to the Ram Navami festivities. The popular Hindu festival honours the birth of Lord Rama, the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu and is celebrated with fervour across the country.
BCCI is aware that authorities are unsure of providing adequate security for the IPL match, that too at night. Additionally, the country will be undergoing the general polls later this month, so the security apparatus will be diverted to other departments, leaving little wiggle room for IPL security.
| Sr. No | Day | Date | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tuesday | April 16 | KKR vs RR | Eden Gardens, Kolkata |
| 2 | Wednesday | April 17 | GT vs DC | Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad |
IPL schedule
Notably, it was last week only that BCCI released the complete schedule for this year’s tournament, having released the programme for the 21 games, under phase 1.
The second schedule begins on April 8, with Chennai Super Kings playing the first game against Kolkata Knight Riders in a home clash in the evening, starting at 7:30 pm. Chennai was also involved in the season opener against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on March 22, winning by four wickets at Chepauk.
As per the new announcement, the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad will host the Qualifier 1 and Eliminator on May 21 and 22, respectively while Chepauk will host the Qualifier 2 and the summit clash.
Currently, RR are at the top of the table, remaining unbeaten in three games played while KKR, Chennai Super Kings and GT make up the other three teams in playoff contention.
The bottom three spots on the table are occupied by Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Punjab Kings. Out of the three only MI are yet to get off the mark with a win.
(With inputs from agencies)