It?s official now. The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has been awarded the hosting rights of 20 matches in the IPL?s first leg with defending champions Mumbai Indians opening the tournament playing against Kolkata Knight Riders on April 16, in Abu Dhabi.
The IPL governing council announced the schedule for the first phase of the tournament after a meeting here on Wednesday, through a series of tweets.
The UAE leg of the IPL, a part of which has been shifted out of the country due to general elections, will wind up on April 30 with Mumbai facing Sunrisers Hyderabad in Dubai. Close to 20 matches will be played in three stadiums. ?The IPL GC has confirmed that the first phase of the PepsiIPL 2014 season matches will be played in the UAE from April 16-30,? an IPL tweet said.
The second leg of the tournament has been tentatively kept for Bangladesh but could be held in India between May 1-12 if the government agrees to provide security to the event.