The 15th edition of the Indian Premier League will begin on March 26 and end with the final on May 29. Mumbai and Pune will host the 70 league games but no decision has yet been taken on the venue for the playoffs.

The BCCI will also organise a women’s T20 Challenge during the men’s tournament.

The IPL governing council, at its meeting on Thursday, decided to advance the tournament by a day, from the earlier date of March 27 that had been talked about, after broadcasters Star Sports requested for a Saturday start. This would allow them to have a double header on the first Sunday.

IPL chairman Brijesh Patel confirmed that the league stage of the tournament will be held only in Mumbai and Pune, as was reported by The Telegraph on January 28. The BCCI had contemplated hosting the tournament in South Africa because of the spiralling Covid numbers in India at the start of the year.

Spectators will be allowed inside the stadiums because of the improving pandemic scenario though the capacity will depend on government regulations. “Whether the capacity will be 25 per cent or 50 per cent will depend on the Maharashtra government’s policy. The full schedule will be released shortly,” Patel told The Telegraph.

A total of 55 matches will be held in Mumbai and 15 in Pune. Four stadiums have been identified for the league stage — Wankhede in Mumbai and DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai will each host 20 matches; Brabourne Stadium, also in Mumbai, and the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) Stadium in Gahunje, in the outskirts of Pune, will get 15 games each.

Travelling between cities had been cited as one of the reasons for the outbreak of Covid cases inside the bio-bubble last year and hence the decision to host the matches in Mumbai and Pune.

The IPL will be a 10-team affair this time with the addition of two new franchises — Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans.

Teams can practise at four grounds: the BKC ground in Bandra Kurla Complex and Brabourne Stadium in Mumbai, DY Patil Stadium in Navi Mumbai and the MCA Ground in Kandivali.

The BCCI also decided to host the women’s T20 Challenge.

“We will have a reduced version of the women’s IPL alongside the men’s tournament. The format will be similar to that of the 2020 edition in the UAE. The tournament will comprise three or four teams. We hope to start a full-fledged women’s IPL from next year,” Patel said.