New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially announced the schedule for the IPL 2026 season, setting the stage for another high-profile edition of the world’s most popular T20 league. The tournament will begin on March 26 and conclude on May 31, as decided during a key meeting of IPL franchise officials held in Abu Dhabi.
The announcement was made by IPL CEO Hemang Amin just ahead of the highly anticipated auction, scheduled to take place on Tuesday at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. With the dates now confirmed, franchises have shifted their full focus toward finalizing squad combinations at the auction.
Uncertainty Over the Opening Match Venue
Traditionally, the IPL opener is hosted at the home ground of the defending champions. However, there is still uncertainty over whether the first match of IPL Season 19 will be held at Bengaluru’s M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Although the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) has received conditional approval from the state government to host matches, concerns remain regarding security arrangements and the fulfillment of other mandatory requirements. A final decision on the opening match venue is yet to be confirmed.
19 New Players Added Before the Auction
In a significant late development, the BCCI has confirmed the inclusion of 19 additional players in the final auction list, taking the total number of registered players to 369. According to franchise officials, such a large number of last-minute additions is highly unusual and unprecedented in IPL auction history.
Among the notable late entrants is Indian batter Abhimanyu Easwaran, who has been assigned auction number 360. His inclusion has drawn particular attention from franchises looking to strengthen their domestic batting options.
Other Players Added at the Last Minute
Some of the other players included just before the auction are:
- Mani Shankar Mura Singh (TCA)
- Virender Singh (Malaysia)
- KL Shrijith (KSCA)
- Ethan Bosch (South Africa)
- Chris Green (Australia)
- Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe)
- Ben Sears (New Zealand)
- Kyle Verreynne (South Africa)
With these additions, franchises will have a wider talent pool to choose from, although a maximum of 77 players can be bought during the auction.
Focus Shifts to Auction Strategy
As IPL 2026 promises a long and demanding season, the upcoming auction will play a decisive role in shaping team strategies. All eyes are now on which franchises secure the right balance of experience and emerging talent as they prepare for another fiercely competitive IPL campaign.
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