Whenever the schedule of an IPL season comes in, all the eyeballs get attracted to the biggest rivalry of all—the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vs the Mumbai Indians (MI). Incredibly, it looks like we might not have to wait for long to witness a new chapter add onto this feud. This is because, as per reports, the first El Clasico, i.e., the CSK vs MI clash, will be played on March 23, a day after the commencement of the IPL 2025.
IPL 2025 Schedule: CSK vs MI on March 23
Initially, the IPL 2025 was touted to begin on March 21. However, according to ESPNcricinfo, the tournament is set to begin a day later, that is, on March 22, a Saturday. That means, there will be a gap of just 12 days between the ICC Champions Trophy Final (March 9) and the first IPL 2025 game. Insidesport previously reported that the opening match of the upcoming IPL 2025 season might be between the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders and the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at the Eden Gardens. On the next day (Mar 23), it will be a double-header, with SRH taking on RR at home in the evening followed by the big clash between arch-rivals CSK and MI. They are the two most successful franchises in T20 history, claiming the IPL title five times each.
IPL 2025 Schedule: What we know so far
- Opening Match: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) vs. Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens on March 22.
- Final Match: The IPL 2025 final will be played on May 25 (Eden Gardens)
- Sunrisers Hyderabad’s First Match: SRH will play their opening match against RR on the afternoon of March 23.
- CSK vs MI Clash: Chennai Super Kings are likely to host MI at Chepauk on the evening of March 23.
- Venues: The tournament will be played across 13 venues, including:
- 10 home venues of the franchises.
- Guwahati (second venue for Rajasthan Royals)
- Dharamsala (second venue for Punjab Kings)
- Vizag (second venue for Delhi Capitals)
- Punjab Kings Home Matches: PBKS will play three home matches in Dharamsala and the remaining four in Mullanpur.
- Gujarat Titans to play their opening match at home on March 25
- Mumbai Indians to play their first home game on March 31
- Tournament Timeline: The IPL 2025 starts 12 days after the Champions Trophy final (March 9, 2025).
