NEW DELHI (India): Chennai will take on defending champions Mumbai in the IPL’s opening match, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Sunday.
The fixture for the league — which runs from September 19 to November 10 in the United Arab Emirates — was released on Sunday.
The lucrative tournament was delayed and then moved out of India because of the pandemic.
“The season will kick start on September 19 in Abu Dhabi with a blockbuster clash between defending champions Mumbai and Chennai,” BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a statement.
“There will be 10 double headers… In all, 24 matches will be held in Dubai, 20 in Abu Dhabi and 12 in Sharjah.”
The venues for the playoffs and the final would be announced later, he added.
Two Chennai players — Deepak Chahar and Ruturaj Gaikwad — and 11 officials and support staff — had tested positive for the infectious disease, delaying the start of the squad’s training.
A growing list of top names have pulled out from the competition.
Former India Test off-spinner Harbhajan Singh on Friday become the second key player to withdraw from three-time champions Chennai, after former Test batsman Suresh Raina’s withdrawal for “personal reasons”.
England’s Jason Roy of Delhi will not go because of injury.
Australian international Kane Richardson pulled out of Bangalore to be at the birth of his first child.
