Mumbai: The meeting between the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the captains of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 concluded at the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai on Wednesday. The 19th edition of the IPL starts on March 28.
Captains from all 10 franchises attended the meeting, which was expected to focus on key playing conditions, rule clarifications, and operational aspects for the new season.
Among those present were Gujarat Titans skipper Shubman Gill and Mumbai Indians captain Hardik Pandya. Speaking briefly to the media, Gill said, “The meeting was very good.”
Other captains in attendance included Sunrisers Hyderabad’s Ishan Kishan, Lucknow Super Giants leader Rishabh Pant, Kolkata Knight Riders skipper Ajinkya Rahane and Punjab Kings captain Shreyas Iyer.
Royal Challengers Bengaluru captain Rajat Patidar, Chennai Super Kings skipper Ruturaj Gaikwad, Rajasthan Royals captain Riyan Parag and Delhi Capitals skipper Axar Patel were also part of the meeting.
The discussions are expected to cover a wide range of topics, including the innings timer (60-second clock), the Impact Player rule, the concussion substitute protocol and the code of conduct regulations.
The meeting serves as a customary curtain-raiser ahead of every IPL season, ensuring clarity and uniform understanding of rules among team leaders before the tournament gets underway.
IPL 2026 is set to begin on March 28, with franchises gearing up for another highly competitive edition of the league.
On March 11, BCCI announced the schedule for the first phase of the 2026 IPL edition, which is to be played from March 28 to April 12. The 19th edition of the biggest T20 league on the globe will commence when defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) host Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru.
A total of 20 matches will be played across 10 venues: Bengaluru, Mumbai, Guwahati, New Chandigarh, Lucknow, Kolkata, Chennai, Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad.
Following the opening encounter on Saturday, Mumbai Indians will take on Kolkata Knight Riders at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on Sunday.
The first double-header of the season will take place on April 4, 2026, when Delhi Capitals face Mumbai Indians in the afternoon match at the Arun Jaitley Stadium in Delhi, followed by Gujarat Titans taking on Rajasthan Royals at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad.
Rajasthan Royals will begin their home campaign in Guwahati, where they will host Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians. Punjab Kings (PBKS), meanwhile, will play their early home fixtures at the PCA Stadium in New Chandigarh.
During the season, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play five home matches in Bengaluru and two in Raipur. Punjab Kings will play four home matches in New Chandigarh and three in Dharamshala, while Rajasthan Royals will play three home matches in Guwahati and four in Jaipur.
(Source: ANI)
