Reports: Match timings to change for IPL 2018

IPL 2018 is set to get underway on April 7 in Mumbai.

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IPL 2018 brings with it a hoard of changes. It welcomes back two of the most loved teams Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals. The tournament enters a new decade after massive success in the first. Franchises will build new lineups, a different nucleus for their teams and if the latest reports are to be believed the match timings are also in for a change as well.

Just this evening Indian Premier League (IPL) Commissioner Rajiv Shukla after a Governing Council meeting confirmed the date and venue for the opening ceremony, first match and final of the tournament. While the inaugural event is slated for April 6, the opening encounter will be played on April 7 and the title clash is to be held on May 27 all of it will be hosted in Mumbai.

In all these years IPL matches got underway at 8 PM IST on regular days where only one match was played. During days that had double-headers, the afternoon game started at 4 PM and ended right as the next would start. Though it worked just right for the viewers the IPL GC has decided to tweak it.

Change in timings

The matches will now start at 7 PM, an hour ahead while on days with double-headers, the first game will start at 5:30 PM IST and the second at 7. With new broadcast partners for the next five years, Star India gives them a list of options in terms of channels to telecast matches on TV. Thus they will be in a position to play two matches with an overlap.

What prompts the GC to make this decision is the luke-warm to cold response to evening games as it started a bit too early and the problem of matches running deep in the night. On a particular instance, last season a Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders match ended at 1:45 AM IST since it rained in Bangalore and the shortened match began hours late of the schedule.

This is expected to attract more fans to the stadiums for the first match and higher viewership for the evening games on TV.

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