Big news has come out regarding the schedule of the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). According to media reports, the 18th edition is set to start on Saturday, March 22. As usual, the first match of the season will be played between the defending champions and their hometowns which means that the Kolkata Knight Riders team will play the first match at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) will be seen in the first match against KKR.

Last year's runners-up Sunrisers Hyderabad will also play their first match on their home ground. They will take on Rajasthan Royals at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in Uppal on Sunday, March 23. This will be an afternoon match. The entire schedule of the IPL has been widely speculated for the last few days, but the BCCI is yet to officially announce the schedule.

However, unofficially, the board has shared the dates of the key matches with the franchises. According to sources, the final will again follow tradition and be held in the city of the defending champions and Eden Gardens will host the final on Sunday, May 25. After the Special General Meeting (SGM) on January 12 in Mumbai, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla had indicated that the IPL would begin on March 23, but it is learned that the BCCI has revised the dates.

According to sources, the request to start the season on Saturday was made by the broadcasters, which the board has complied with. The full schedule is expected to be announced in a day or two. Apart from Kolkata and Hyderabad, matches this season will also be played in Guwahati and Dharamsala, apart from the 10 regular centres - Ahmedabad, Mumbai, Chennai, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Mullanpur, Delhi and Jaipur.

Guwahati will also come straight on the IPL map, as Rajasthan Royals have chosen the north-east city as their second venue, playing there on March 26 and 30. Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings will be the opponents of the Royals in the two evening matches in Guwahati. Like last year, Dharamsala will host some of the home matches of Punjab Kings this time too. It is being said that this Himachal city might get three matches this season.

As already announced, Qualifier 1 and Eliminator will be held in Hyderabad and Qualifier 2 and of course the final will be held in Kolkata.