IPL second edition schedule released

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IPL second edition schedule released

CAPE TOWN: The opening match and final of the second edition of IPL, shifted overseas to South Africa, are to be held at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town and the Wanderers in Johannesburg respectively on April 18 and May 24.

The semi finals are to be held on May 22 and 23 in Pretoria and Johannesburg respectively, as per the full schedule of the Twenty20 League available.

In a double header on the first day, last year''s winners Rajasthan Royals would take on Royal Challengers, Bangalore, while Mumbai Indians would clash with first edition''s runners-up Chennai Super Kings at Cape Town.

In all, the 59 matches will be held in eight cities: Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria, East London, Kimberly, Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth.

Kingsmead in Durban, which has a large number of South Asians, has been allotted the lion''s share of 16 matches while the Centurion Park in Pretoria would host 12 ties.

The Wanderers in Johannesburg and Newlands in Cape Town come next best with eight matches each, with the latter playing host to four of these on the first two days of the cash-rich, high-profile competition.

Seven matches are to be held in St George''s Park in Port Elizabeth while Buffalo Park in East London has been allotted four matches.

Two matches each have been handed over to Outsurance Oval in Bloemfontein and De Beers Oval in Kimberley.

There are a total of ten double headers (two matches back to back at the same venue) with Durban hosting half of these.

[Sadaf Gondal]