RCB meet Sunrisers in IPL opening tie

Defending champions Sunrisers Hyderabad will take on last year’s runners-up Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Uppal stadium in Hyderabad in the opening fixture of the 10th edition of Indian Premier League on April 5.

By virtue of Sunrisers being the champions, the final will also be held in Hyderabad on May 21. The venues for play-off matches (May 16: Qualifier 1; May 17: Eliminator and May 19: Qualifier 2) will be decided later depending upon which teams finish top four. 

The tournament will be spread over 47 days across 10 venues with each team playing 14 matches – 7 of them at home venues.

The season will also witness IPL returning to Indore for the first time since 2011.
Among the other teams, Rising Pune Supergiants will take on Mumbai Indians on April 6 in Pune.

Gautam Gambhir-led Kolkata Knight Riders will take on Gujarat Lions on April 7 in their opening game at Rajkot.

Delhi Daredevils will take on RCB in Bengaluru on April 8 in their lung opener. On the same day, perennial underachievers Kings XI Punjab host Rising Supergiants for their first match in the cash-rich tourney at their second home in Indore.

Royal Challengers Bangalore fixtures: April 5: vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Hyderabad, 8 pm); Apr 8: vs Delhi Daredevils (Bengaluru, 8 pm); Apr 10: vs Kings XI Punjab (Indore, 8 pm); Apr 14: vs Mumbai Indians (Bengaluru, 4 pm); Apr 16: vs Rising Pune SuperGiants (Bengaluru, 8 pm); Apr 18: vs Gujarat Lions (Rajkot, 8 pm); Apr 23: vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Kolkata, ); Apr 25: vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Bengaluru, 8 pm); Apr 27: vs Gujarat Lions (Bengaluru, 8 pm); Apr 29: vs Rising Pune Supergiants (Pune, 4 pm); May 1: vs Mumbai Indians (Mumbai, 4 pm); May 5: vs Kings XI Punjab (Bengaluru, 8 pm); May 7: vs Kolkata Knight Riders (Bengaluru, 4 pm); May 14: Delhi Daredevils (Delhi, 8 pm).

May 16: Qualifier 1 (8 pm); May 17: Eliminator (8 pm); May 19: Qualifier 2 (8 pm); May 21; Final (Hyderabad, 8 pm).