IPL 2025 opening ceremony: Shah Rukh Khan to interact with captains in grand show

By Anirban Sinha Roy, New Delhi, Mar 22 (Zee News): Eden Gardens is preparing for the grand opening ceremony of IPL 2025.

The City of Joy will witness Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan, along with singer Shreya Ghoshal, Karan Aujla, and actress Disha Patani. Before the mega opener between Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), there will be an exciting entertainment show featuring Bollywood stars.

The eagerly awaited start of IPL 2025 could face a setback due to forecasted rain in Kolkata. Showers are expected, which may spoil the excitement of what is anticipated to be a full house at the legendary Eden Gardens.

Ahead of the opening match, rain has already impacted the practice sessions for both KKR and RCB, with KKR's intra-squad matches over the last few days also being disrupted.

Here’s the entire schedule for the IPL 2025 opening ceremony

6:05 PM - Kickoff: The event begins with a special IPL countdown, setting the stage for a grand celebration of the league’s 18th edition.

6:13 PM - SRK Takes Over: Shah Rukh Khan opens the night with a monologue, leading into the mega celebration.

6:13 PM - Star Performances Begin:

Shreya Ghoshal kicks off the musical acts after an introductory AV.

Disha Patani follows with a high-energy performance.

Karan Aujla takes the stage, with Disha joining him for the final song.

6:52 PM - Cricket Meets Glamour: SRK returns to the stage to welcome cricketers, engaging in a chat with them.

6:53 PM - Official Segment: BCCI officials and celebrities join the stage, leading to the ceremonial protocol.

6:54 PM - Grand Entry of Captains: The two team captains arrive on a float, followed by an interaction with SRK.

6:59 PM - Celebration & Spectacle:

IPL 18 cake cutting and a balloon release.

Drone show lights up the sky.

Trophy photo-op featuring SRK, the captains, officials, and celebrities.

7:00 PM - Fireworks Display: A spectacular pyrotechnic show marks the final moments of the ceremony.

7:30 PM - The Action Begins: Toss followed by the highly anticipated season opener.

IPL 2025 Schedule | IPL Match Schedule 

By Hindustan Times

IPL Schedule: The 2025 Indian Premier League (IPL) is shaping up to be one of the most exciting seasons yet, with teams finalising their rosters, strategising their playing XIs and preparing for another action-packed edition. As franchises fine-tune their squads, fans can expect an intense battle for supremacy in the world's biggest T20 league. With the IPL schedule 2025 officially set, anticipation is at an all-time high as teams get ready to compete in the IPL 2025.

After the mega IPL auction, the 10 teams have made significant changes to their leadership and support staff ahead of the IPL 2025 season. It will be interesting to see how the franchise and the players adjust to the new changes in team dynamics.

Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR): Ajinkya Rahane has been appointed as the new captain, succeeding Shreyas Iyer, who has moved to lead the Punjab Kings. Rahane's leadership credentials include guiding India to a Test series victory in Australia during the 2020-21 season. Venkatesh Iyer will serve as the vice-captain, and Dwayne Bravo has joined as a mentor, bringing extensive T20 experience to the squad.

Punjab Kings (PBKS): The franchise has appointed Shreyas Iyer as their new captain, aiming to leverage his leadership skills to lift their campaign in IPL 2025.

Mumbai Indians (MI): Mahela Jayawardene returns as head coach, a position he previously held from 2017 to 2022, during which MI secured three IPL titles. He takes over from Mark Boucher, under whom MI finished last in IPL 2024. Hardik Pandya will continue to lead the Mumbai franchise.

Rajasthan Royals (RR): Rahul Dravid takes the helm as head coach, bringing his extensive cricketing knowledge and prior association with the franchise to the forefront. Sanju Samson will captain the RR in IPL 2025.

Delhi Capitals (DC): The Capitals have undergone significant changes, with Hemang Badani stepping in as head coach and Venugopal Rao assuming the role of Director of Cricket. Most recently, Delhi Capitals appointed former England captain Kevin Pietersen as their mentor for IPL 2025.

Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): Rajat Patidar has been named captain of the RCB, replacing Faf du Plessis, who has moved to Delhi Capitals. Patidar's leadership will be crucial as RCB continues its quest for a maiden IPL title.

Gujarat Titans (GT): Former wicketkeeper-batter Parthiv Patel has joined the support staff as the assistant and batting coach of Gujarat Titans, where Ashish Nehra is the head coach and led by young gun Shubman Gill.

With teams fully geared up, IPL 2025 is set to be an electrifying tournament filled with drama, excitement and many unforgettable moments. Stay updated with the IPL 2025 match schedule and catch all the action live on Crickit!

The tournament kicks off today and will run until May 25, 2025. Featuring 74 matches over 65 days, the IPL 2025 match schedule includes 12 double-headers and matches across 13 venues in India.

IPL 2025 match schedule and key fixtures

As per the TATA IPL schedule 2025, the season opener will be played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata, between the defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) today. This iconic venue will also host the IPL final on May 25, marking the first time in a decade that the championship match will be played in Kolkata.

The IPL match schedule features several high-profile encounters, including the much-anticipated clash between Mumbai Indians (MI) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on March 23, 2025, at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. These two five-time champions will face off again in the reverse fixture on April 20, 2025, at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai.

IPL 2025 playoff venues

The playoff matches in TATA IPL 2025 have been allocated to multiple venues:

Qualifier 1 (May 20, 2025) – Hyderabad

Eliminator (May 21, 2025) – Hyderabad

Qualifier 2 (May 23, 2025) – Kolkata

Final (May 25, 2025) – Kolkata

Teams and groups in IPL 2025

The teams have been divided into two groups of five, following the format used in previous seasons:

Group A: Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Punjab Kings (PBKS), Rajasthan Royals (RR), Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).

Group B: Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Delhi Capitals (DC), Gujarat Titans (GT), Mumbai Indians (MI), Lucknow Super Giants (LSG).

Each team will play against other teams in its group and one team from the opposite group twice, while facing the remaining four teams once in the league phase.

The top four teams at the end of the league stage will advance to the playoffs. The first and second-placed teams will compete in Qualifier 1 on May 20 in Hyderabad, with the winner securing a direct spot in the final on May 25 in Kolkata.

Meanwhile, the third and fourth-placed teams will clash in the Eliminator, where the losing side will be eliminated from the tournament. The winner of this match will then face the loser of Qualifier 1 in Qualifier 2 on May 23 in Kolkata, with the winner earning the final remaining place in the championship match.

IPL 2025 venues and home grounds

The IPL 2025 match schedule includes 13 venues, including the primary home grounds of all 10 teams, plus additional venues like:

Guwahati (second home of Rajasthan Royals – 2 matches)

Visakhapatnam (second home of Delhi Capitals – 2 matches)

Dharamsala (second home of Punjab Kings – 3 matches)

Punjab Kings will play three consecutive home matches in Dharamsala from May 4 to May 11, a unique advantage in the TATA IPL schedule 2025.

Captaincy changes in IPL 2025

Several teams have undergone major leadership changes ahead of the IPL 2025 season:

Lucknow Super Giants (LSG): Rishabh Pant has been appointed as the new captain, replacing KL Rahul.

Punjab Kings (PBKS): Shreyas Iyer will lead the team in TATA IPL 2025.

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB): Rajat Patidar has been named as the new skipper.

IPL 2025 match timings

With prime-time match slots and high-stakes rivalries, the IPL 2025 schedule is expected to draw massive global viewership. Afternoon matches will start at 3:30 PM IST, while evening matches will be played at 7:30 PM IST.