IPL schedule: KKR vs RCB at Eden to kick off season, details here
New Delhi, Feb 16 (PTI): The BCCI on Sunday unveiled a 74-match schedule for the 18th Indian Premier League that will be held across 13 venues, starting on March 22 with three franchises playing at least a couple of their home games at their designated second bases.
The event will kick off with a clash between Kolkata Knight Riders and Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens on March 22 and culminate at the same venue on May 25 in a schedule that did not offer any surprises.
A schedule features 12 double-headers. The games will be held over 65 days across 13 venues, with Dharamsala, Guwahati, and Visakhapatnam hosting a couple of IPL fixtures each.
As has been the norm, Dharamsala will serve as Punjab Kings' second home venue alongside Mullanpur (New Chandigarh), while Rajasthan Royals will make Guwahati their base in addition to Jaipur.
Delhi Capitals will have Visakhapatnam as their second home venue and will start their league campaign there on March 24 against Lucknow Super Giants.
Guwahati and Visakhapatnam will host two matches each, while Dharamsala will stage three matches.
The first double-header of the season will be held on March 23 in which Sunrisers Hyderabad will face Rajasthan Royals in an afternoon game in Hyderabad, followed by a contest between Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
The playoffs will be staged in Hyderabad and Kolkata after the league stage. Hyderabad will host Qualifier 1 and the Eliminator on May 20 and May 21, respectively, with the action shifting to Kolkata for Qualifier 2 on May 23.
The IPL will continue with its two-group structure after the 2022 expansion to a 10-team format.
Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals, Chennai Super Kings, and Punjab Kings are in one group, while Sunrisers Hyderabad, Delhi Capitals, Gujarat Titans, Mumbai Indians, and Lucknow Super Giants are in the other.
Each team will play the other sides in their group twice, one pre-determined team from the opposite group, and the remaining four teams from the other group once.
Mark your calendars, folks! 🥳🗓#TATAIPL 2025 kicks off on March 2️⃣2️⃣ with a clash between @KKRiders and @RCBTweets 🤜🤛
— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) February 16, 2025
When is your favourite team's first match? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/f2tf3YcSyY
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Kane scores hat trick and Bayern extends Bundesliga lead to 11 points
Berlin (AP): Harry Kane was substituted in at the hour mark and still had enough time to score a hat trick on Saturday.
The England captain took his goal tally for Bayern Munich this season to 28 and the defending champions extended their lead to 11 points after thrashing Stuttgart 5-0 on the road.
Second-placed Leipzig later hosted Eintracht Frankfurt.
With Kane on the bench, Konrad Laimer took on the scoring duties and produced a superb finish. The Austria midfielder collected a long ball and combined with Michael Olise before slotting home from close range with a subtle backheel past goalkeeper Alexander Nübel in the 11th minute.
Kane made it 2-0 with a low shot into the bottom corner and Josip Stanišic added his name to the scoresheet. Kane added further luster to the win from the penalty spot after Stuttgart was reduced to 10 men for Lorenz Assignon using his arm to clear a ball in the 81st.
Kane completed the rout with a flick from an Olise cross with two minutes left. He has found the net five more times with England this season, taking his total to 33 goals for club and country.
Stuttgart had chances before halftime but lacked a cutting edge. Midfielder Nikolas Nartey thought he equalized only for his goal to be ruled out for offside after a VAR check.
Bayern Munich is unbeaten in 16 league and cup games against German opposition this season.
Other results
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Bayer Leverkusen suffered a fourth loss, 2-0 at Augsburg.
Defender Dimitrios Giannoulis put the host in front after six minutes then turned provider to set up forward Anton Kade. Leverkusen, which hit the woodwork, remained in fourth place, 14 points behind Bayern.
Wolfsburg scored from all of its shots on target and moved four points clear of the relegation zone after beating Union Berlin 3-1. Heidenheim defeated Freiburg 2-1. Cologne and St. Pauli drew 1-1.
