IPL: BCCI announces schedule for 2 weeks, defending champs CSK to play RCB in opener
New Delhi, Feb 19: Defending champions Chennai Super Kings will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the opening encounter of the 12th Indian Premier League for which a provisional two-week schedule was announced by the BCCI on Tuesday.
The opening game has been scheduled for March 23 in Chennai, the BCCI announced in its schedule comprising 17 games.
The IPL will be off to an earlier-than-usual start this year owing to the general elections, dates of which are yet to be announced. Any change in the provisional itinerary from March 23 to April 5 will be revised accordingly.
"These are still subject to the announcement of the Lok Sabha 2019 election dates. Once these have been released, the BCCI will address any issues with the first two weeks and will also prepare a schedule for the remainder of the season working with the local authorities around the polling dates," read an official statement from the IPL.
On March 24, Kolkata Knight Riders will host Sunrisers Hyderabad in the afternoon encounter of a double header in which Mumbai Indians will take on Delhi Capitals in Mumbai.
Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab will meet each other in Jaipur to complete the first round of games.
A total of 17 matches will be played during this two-week phase across the 8 home venues of the respective franchises.
All teams will play a minimum of four games with Delhi Capitals and RCB competing in five matches each during this time. Every side will play a minimum of two home and two away matches except for Delhi and RCB. While Delhi will compete in three home games, RCB will play an equal number of away encounters.
While the weekends will have double-headers but the schedule doesn't clarify whether the BCCI will continue with the usual 4pm (afternoon) and 8 pm (evening) format or there will be a change in timing.
Itinerary
March 23: CSK vs RCB (Chennai) March 24: KKR vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Kolkata, Afternoon Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Capitals (Mumbai, Evening) March 25: Rajasthan Royals vs KXIP (Jaipur) March 26: Delhi Capitals vs CSK (Delhi) March 27: KKR vs KXIP (Kolkata) March 28: RCB vs MI (Bengaluru) March 29: Sunrisers vs Rajasthan Royals (Hyderabad) March 30: KXIP vs MI (Mohali, Afternoon) Delhi Capitals vs KKR (Delhi, Evening) March 31: Sunrisers Hyderabad vs RCB (Hyderabad, Afternoon) CSK vs Rajasthan Royals (Chennai, Evening) April 1: KXIP vs Delhi Capitals (Mohali) April 2: Rajasthan Royals vs RCB (Jaipur) April 3: MI vs CSK (Mumbai) April 4: Delhi Capitals vs Sunrisers Hyderabad (Delhi) April 5: RCB vs KKR (Bengaluru).Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Women BJP MLAs protest against opposition in UP assembly premises
Lucknow (PTI): Women BJP MLAs held a protest in the Vidhan Bhawan complex before the one-day special session of Uttar Pradesh assembly, slamming the opposition for defeating the passage of a bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Law, in the Lok Sabha.
This followed another demonstration by Samajwadi Party MLAs, who alleged that the BJP was misleading public in the name of women's reservation.
The women BJP legislators assembled in front of Chaudhary Charan Singh's statue in the assembly premises, holding banners inscribed with the slogan "Insult to Matrushakti (women's power), India will not tolerate it". The protesting members entered the main hall of Vidhan Bhawan carrying the banners.
Participating in the protest, the state Minister for Women Welfare and Child Development, Baby Rani Maurya, told reporters that all opposition parties, including the Samajwadi Party and the Congress, had opposed the women's reservation, a stance for which they would have to pay a heavy political price.
"On this issue, all of us women stand united. We will ensure that we secure our reservation," she said.
BJP MLA Ketki Singh remarked that their protest represents the collective outrage of millions of women across the state.
Singh asserted that the opposition has betrayed women by creating hurdles in the path of women's reservation. The current demonstration is merely the beginning, and very soon, women from every street, intersection and household will join the protest movement, she said.
Minister Vijaylakshmi Gautam said, "We strongly condemn the despicable act committed by the Samajwadi Party and the Congress in an attempt to hold back 'half the population' (women). Their action was directed against the very bill that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had introduced to empower and strengthen Nari Shakti (women's power), and which he strived to pass expeditiously."
Uttar Pradesh assembly is holding a one-day special session on Thursday. During the session, the government is set to move a censure motion against the opposition parties over their failure to pass the Constitution Amendment Bill, which would have led to implementation of the Women's Reservation Act, in the Lok Sabha.
