Started in 2007, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has grown into a behemoth. Now, its 18th edition will start from 22nd March. In the opening match, the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) will clash against one of the most popular franchises, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Kolkata’s Eden Gardens.
The tournament’s final will also be played at Kolkata’s iconic venue on 25th May, after a long gap of nearly a decade. Last time, Kolkata hosted the IPL finals in 2013 and 2015.
Apart from the finals, the 2nd Qualifier match will also be played at the same venue on May 23.
As per the schedule announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), IPL 2025 will feature 74 matches that will be played over the span of 65 days. Out of these 12 days will see double-headers.
Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator matches will be played out in Hyderabad on May 20 and 21, respectively.
After the hyped opening clash, a double-header on March 23 aims to intensify the excitement among the IPL fans.
The complete schedule announced by the BCCI for IPL 2025 is as follows –
Here is a fascinating factoid from the IPL History –
Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings have been jointly leading the title race with five title trophies to their names.
Mumbai Indians (MI) – 5-time champions (2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020).
Chennai Super Kings (CSK) – 5-time champions (2010, 2011, 2018, 2021, 2023).
Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) – 3-time champions (2012, 2014, 2024).
Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) – 1-time champion (2016).
Rajasthan Royals (RR) – 1-time champion (2008).
Deccan Chargers (DC) – 1-time champion (2009).
Gujarat Titans (GT) – 1-time champion (2022).
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Here are the top 10 players based on runs:
V Kohli – 8004 runs
S Dhawan – 6769 runs
RG Sharma – 6628 runs
DA Warner – 6565 runs
SK Raina – 5528 runs
MS Dhoni – 5243 runs
AB de Villiers – 5162 runs
CH Gayle – 4965 runs
RV Uthappa – 4952 runs
KD Karthik – 4842 runs
Here is how the highest wicket tally looks like —
YS Chahal – 205 wickets
PP Chawla – 192 wickets
DJ Bravo – 183 wickets
B Kumar – 181 wickets
SP Narine – 181 wickets
R Ashwin – 180 wickets
A Mishra – 174 wickets
SL Malinga – 170 wickets
JJ Bumrah – 165 wickets
RA Jadeja – 152 wickets
