The 18th season of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2025) is set to kick on 22 March 2025. This season promises intensive cricket action, which begins with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), who faces Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) at the Aden Garden Stadium in Kolkata. The match will start from IST at 7:30 pm, and the opening ceremony will also be held in Kolkata.
IPL 2025: Which Team Is in Which Group?
For the 2025 season, the IPL teams are divided into two groups, with five teams in each group. Each team will face every other team twice in their group, play a match against each team of the opposite group, and will play two matches against the fifth team in the second group.
For example, Group A will play two matches against Chennai Super Kings (CSK) Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB), and Punjab Kings (PBK). Additionally, CSK will face Mumbai Indians (MI) (from Group B) in two matches, and will play one match against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Gujarat Titans (GT), Delhi Capital (DC), and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).
IPL 2025 Match Venues and Schedules
The IPL 2025 schedule is designed with an exciting matchup, hosting the most matches with Eden Garden Stadium in Kolkata and Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Hyderabad. These two prestigious Stadium 2 will witness 9 matches in addition to hosting 2 playoff games.
IPL 2025 Opening and Final Match Details
According to tradition, the IPL 2025 opening match and the final match will be hosted at the home ground of the previous year’s champion. Both inauguration and final games will be held at the Eden Garden Stadium in Kolkata. Qualifier -2 matches will also be held here on 23 May 2025.
On the other hand, Rajiv Gandhi Uppal Stadium in Hyderabad, runner -up of last season, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), will host two playoff matches including Eliminator on May 20, Qualifier -1 and 21 May, 2025.
IPL 2025 Double Header Matches
There will be 12 double-headed matches on Saturday and Sunday in the IPL 2025 season, which will provide a weekend cricket feast on fans. A double header refers to the two matches played on the same day.
The first double header will be on March 23, 2025 with SRH vs RR at 3:30 PM IST and Mumbai Indians (Mi) vs Chennai Super Kings (CSK) at 7:30 pm. Subsequently, the double-header matches will be played on 30 March, 5 April, 6, 12, 13, 19, 20, and 27, and 4 May, 11, and 18, 2025.
When Does IPL 2025 Playoff Stage Begin?
The IPL 2025 playoff stage will begin on May 20, 2025 with qualifier -1. The eliminator match will be held on May 21, qualifier -2 on 23 May, and the final match will be held on 25 May, 2025.
IPL 2025: Rules on Foreign Players in Playing XI
Each IPL team can keep a maximum of four foreign players in their playing XI with the remaining seven spots reserved for Indian players. Teams can only choose Indian players in the field if they prefer, but they should always ensure that a minimum of seven Indian players are included in the lineup.
IPL 2025 Prize Money: How Much Do IPL Winners Get?
The team winning the IPL 2025 title will get a grand award of ₹ 20 crore. The runner-up will get ₹ 13 crore, while the third and fourth-rich teams will be awarded ₹ 7 crore and ₹ 6.5 crore respectively. Additional awards include Player of the Tournament, Best Batman (Orange Cap), Best Baller (Purple Cap), and Emerging Player Awards with prize money for each category.
Where Can You Watch IPL 2025?
IPL 2025 will be telecasted live on Star Sports and Sports -18 for TV viewers. Fans can watch online matches online through Jio Hotstar OTT platform. In addition, you can see live scores, live coverage, moments, records and analysis through Google.
