IPL 2025 date announced: TATA IPL set to kick-off on March 23
There had been earlier speculation that the 2025 IPL season would start on March 14, but the BCCI appears to be factoring in a brief rest period for players following the ICC Champions Trophy.
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India’s cricketing calendar is set for a busy 2025, with the much-anticipated leagues set to return in the coming months. According to a statement made by Rajiv Shukla, the Vice-President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), during the General Body meeting on Sunday, the Indian Premier League (IPL) will officially begin on March 23, while the Women’s Premier League (WPL) is scheduled to kick off on February 7.
The conclusion of both tournaments will follow in quick succession, with the IPL final slated for May 25 and the WPL final to be held on March 2. There had been earlier speculation that the 2025 IPL season would start on March 14, but the BCCI appears to be factoring in a brief rest period for players following the ICC Champions Trophy.
Shukla also revealed that the WPL 2025 will be played across four venues: Baroda, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Lucknow. As for the IPL, the 2025 season will once again feature 74 matches, maintaining the format seen in the 2023 and 2024 editions. This comes despite earlier reports that suggested the possibility of an increase to 84 matches in 2025 and 2026, with a potential 94-match season in 2027.
In the Special General Meeting (SGM) that was held on Sunday, the BCCI officially appointed Devajit Saikia as its new Secretary, succeeding Jay Shah, who now serves as the Chairperson of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Saikia, who hails from Assam, assumes the role after serving as the acting Secretary following Shah's elevation to the ICC's top post on December 1.
Prabhtej Singh Bhatia, a cricket administrator from Chhattisgarh, was also named the board’s new Treasurer, taking over from Ashish Shelar, who has since become a cabinet minister in the Maharashtra state government under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Both Saikia and Bhatia were appointed unopposed, with no election needed for the two positions. Electoral officer A.K. Joti confirmed that the posts of Secretary and Treasurer were uncontested, thereby eliminating the need for a formal poll.
