The IPL has announced the dates for the upcoming three editions of the Indian Premier League. The 18th edition of the lucrative tournament will start on March 14 and culminate on May 25.
As per an ESPNcricinfo report, the 19th season of the IPL will get underway on March 15 and conclude on May 31 whereas the 2027 edition will be conducted between March 14 and May 30. Though the IPL has described the dates as windows, that tournament will likely be organized without any other changes in the schedule.
The latest development comes just a few days in the lead-up to the IPL 2025 mega auction, set to unfold in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia on November 24 (Sunday) and November 25 (Monday). As per the report, players from Australia, England, South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan, and Zimbabwe will be fully available for the 2025 season of the IPL.
The forthcoming edition of the cash-rich league will be played after the conclusion of the ICC Champions Trophy. However, there is still no certainty whether the ICC would organise the entire tournament in Pakistan or adopt a hybrid model.
ICC Champions Trophy in controversy
The ICC Champions Trophy sparked controversy after the BCCI informed the International Cricket Council (ICC) that Team India would not be travelling to Pakistan to compete in the tournament. The ICC then passed the information down to the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Disheartened and exasperated after the development, the PCB asked the ICC the reason behind BCCI’s refusal to travel to Pakistan for the tournament.
At the moment, the PCB is adamant about hosting the tournament on home soil. Meanwhile, the global trophy tour has already begun with the silverware making its presence across various cities in Pakistan. Earlier, the PCB wanted to take the tour to a few regions of the PoK (Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir) but a timely intervention by the ICC prevented that from happening.
Timeline of the Trophy Tour:
- 16 November – Islamabad, Pakistan
- 17 November – Taxila and Khanpur, Pakistan
- 18 November – Abbottabad, Pakistan
- 19 November- Murree, Pakistan
- 20 November- Nathia Gali, Pakistan
- 22 – 25 November – Karachi, Pakistan
- 26 – 28 November – Afghanistan
- 10 – 13 December – Bangladesh
- 15 – 22 December – South Africa
- 25 December – 5 January – Australia
- 6 – 11 January – New Zealand
- 12 – 14 January – England
- 15 – 26 January – India
- 27 January – event start – Pakistan