The schedule of the 2019 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be released in parts with the March 23-April 5 fixtures set to be released first on Tuesday. The Indian board has got clearance for 17 matches with the eight centres getting two matches each and the Capital getting to host three games in the first segment of the 12th edition of the cash-rich league.

A total of 17 matches will be played during this 2 weeks period across the 8 home venues of the respective franchises. All teams will play a minimum of 4 matches with DC and RCB playing 5 matches. Every team will play a minimum of 2 home and 2 away matches with DC playing 3 home matches, while RCB will play 3 away matches.

A senior Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) official confirmed to Hindustan Times that the complete schedule for the 2019 edition of the IPL cannot be released together keeping the upcoming general election in mind.

With the whole tournament set to be played in India, it is important that matches are scheduled in accordance to the dates of election which will be held in multiple phases.

Speaking to Hindustan Times, a senior board official said that it was impossible to release the complete schedule of the tournament before the dates of the general election are out as matches need to be planned keeping the dates in mind as elections are held in different phases.

“The full schedule will take some time as we need to wait for the general election dates to be released by the election commission. But for now, the dates of the first segment of the tournament is to be released. We all know the kind of arrangement that goes behind hosting elections and that is the priority,” he explained.

The IPL is set to get underway on March 23 and the final will be played in Chennai as the Chennai Super Kings won the 11th edition of the cash-rich league. Interestingly, this will be the first time that the league will be played without a chairman as the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) disbanded all committees and sub-committees after the registration of the new constitution.

The CoA issued a letter on August 23 and handed the majority of the powers to the CEO and the CFO till fresh election is conducted in the BCCI and new members take control. It quoted the August 9 judgment of the Supreme Court and the newly registered constitution of the BCCI in doing so. The CoA also informed the office-bearers that all the committees and sub-committees of the BCCI had been abolished except for the Cricket Advisory Committee and the duly reconstituted selection committees.

First Published: Feb 19, 2019 14:19 IST