IPL schedule

The opening Twenty20 encounter in the Cricket Board-promoted Indian Premier League will see liquor baron Vijay Mallya's Bangalore outfit take on Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan's Kolkata side at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium under lights on April 18.

The final of the multi-million dollar League, as well as the two semi-finals, would be held in Mumbai - and in all probability at the Cricket Club of India's Brabourne Stadium, Lalit Modi, IPL Commissioner and Chairman, said on Friday.

"The final will be on June 1 and the semi-finals on May 30 and 31, all in Mumbai. We have the option of hosting these matches either at the CCI or DY Patil stadium (in Navi Mumbai). I guess they will choose CCI," Modi told reporters.

The IPL Governing Council had a day-long meeting on Friday with the eight franchise owners and representatives of the match staging associations for explaining the entire format of the IPL, the marketing strategy and guidelines, according to Modi.

"Seven or eight ICC Elite Panel umpires along with 16 Indian umpires would officiate in the tournament. The match referees are being appointed and we already have the anti-corruption and anti-doping measures in place," Modi said.

Modi reiterated that no national team sponsors would get protection in the IPL as demanded by Cricket Australia.

For complete updated schedule
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