Dubai: The Indian Premier League 2022, which begins on March 26, will be played in a novel and complex format. This is to ensure that all teams play the same number of group games despite the addition of two new teams for the Season 15.
The teams, ranked on title wins, have been split into two virtual groups of five teams each. A team will play four others in their group and the team in the same row in the other group twice. They will play the rest of the teams only once. It is a major shift from the current format where each teams play each other twice, home and away.
However, with Lucknow Super Giants and Gujarat Titans joining the league, the governing council introduced the new format to restrict the number of matches in the two-month long tournament. The final will be on May 29.
Mumbai Indians with five titles and Chennai Super kings with four titles top Group A and B respectively. Two-time champions Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, winners of the first edition in 2008, Delhi Capitals and Lucknow Super Giants are in Group A, while Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans are paired along with Chennai in Group B.
For example, in Group A, Mumbai will play two matches each against Kolkata, Rajasthan, Delhi and Lucknow. Mumbai will also play twice against Chennai and one match each against the other teams in Group B.
According to the statement from the IPL Governing Council of the TATA IPL 2022 season, the 10 teams will play a total of 14 league matches (7 home matches and 7 away matches). That means a total of 70 league matches, followed by four playoff matches. Each team will play 5 teams twice and the remaining 4 teams only once (2 only home and 2 only away).
The 15th edition will be played in a bio-secure environment at a single hub to avoid air travel and reduced the threat of Covid-19 infection. The 70 league matches will be organised at four international standard venues in Mumbai and Pune.
The venues for the play-offs are yet to be announced. Each team will play four matches at Wankhede Stadium and DY Patil Stadium, while they will play three matches each at Brabourne and MCA International Stadium in Pune.
