Super Kings to start IPL title defence against Mumbai Indians

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Chennai Super Kings will start their title defence against Mumbai Indians in the inaugural match of the fifth edition of Indian Premier League at Chennai's M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on April 4, the Indian cricket board announced on Friday.

The tournament will feature nine teams and the final will also be held in Chennai on May 27. A total of 76 matches will be played across 12 venues. Kochi Tuskers Kerala, which made its debut in 2011, will not be seen in action this season as the franchise was terminated by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) last September for breaching its terms of agreement.

The league stage will comprise of 72 matches with each team playing the other eight in a home-and-away format. The play-offs would be hosted by Bangalore and Chennai.

While Bangalore will host Qualifier 1 - the table toppers from the league stage versus the second team on that list (1 vs 2) - and the Eliminator - the contest between the third and fourth placed teams (3 vs 4) - May 22 and 23, Chennai will be the venue for Qualifier 2 slated for May 25.

The new stadium in Pune, subject to the final completion, will make its debut as an IPL venue by staging all eight 'home' games of the Pune Warriors India. Dharamsala, Cuttack and Vizag will host two games each.

Schedule of IPL matches:

April 4 Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians
April 5 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Daredevils
April 6 Mumbai Indians vs Pune Warriors India, Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab
April 7 Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Daredevils, Deccan Chargers vs Chennai Super Kings
April 8 Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Pune Warriors India vs Kings XI Punjab
April 9 Deccan Chargers vs Mumbai Indians
April 10 Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders, Delhi Daredevils Chennai Super Kings
April 11 Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals
April 12 Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Kings XI Punjab vs Pune Warriors India
April 13 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals
April 14 Delhi Daredevils vs Deccan Chargers, Pune Warriors India vs Chennai Super Kings
April 15 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan oyals
April 16 Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils
April 17 Rajasthan Royals vs Deccan Chargers, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors India
April 18 Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders
April 19 Deccan Chargers vs Delhi Daredevils, Chennai Super Kings vs Pune Warriors India
April 20 Kings XI Punjab vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
April 21 Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Daredevils vs Pune Warriors India.
April 22 Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab, Deccan Chargers vs Kolkata Knight Riders
April 23 Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
April 24 Pune Warriors India vs Delhi Daredevils, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Deccan Chargers
April 25 Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings
April 26 Pune Warriors vs India Deccan Chargers
April 27 Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians
April 28 Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
April 29 Delhi Daredevils vs Rajasthan Royals, Mumbai Indians vs Deccan Chargers
April 30 Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders
May 1 Deccan Chargers vs Pune Warriors India, Rajasthan Royals vs Delhi Daredevils
May 2 Challengers Bangalore vs Kings XI Punjab
May 3 Pune Warriors vs India Mumbai Indians
May 4 Chennai Super Kings vs Deccan Chargers
May 5 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Pune Warriors India, Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals
May 6 Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Deccan Chargers
May 7 Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkata Knight Riders
May 8 Pune Warriors India vs Rajasthan Royals, Deccan Chargers vs Kings XI Punjab
May 9 Mumbai Indians vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
May 10 Rajasthan Royals vs Chennai Super Kings
May 11 Pune Warriors India vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
May 12 Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Daredevils
May 13 Rajasthan Royals vs Pune Warriors India, Kings XI Punjab vs Deccan Chargers
May 14 Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians, Kolkata Knight Riders vs Chennai Super Kings
May 15 Delhi Daredevils vs Kings XI Punjab
May 16 Mumbai Indians vs Kolkata Knight Riders
May 17 Kings XI Punjab vs Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils vs Royal Challengers Bangalore
May 18 Deccan Chargers vs Rajasthan Royals
May 19 Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Daredevils, Pune Warriors India vs Kolkata Knight Riders
May 20 Deccan Chargers vs Royal Challengers Bangalore, Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians

Play offs:

May 22 Qualifier 1: First Placed Team vs Second Placed Team
May 23 Eliminator: Third Placed Team vs Fourth Placed Team
May 25 Qualifier 2: Winner of Eliminator vs Loser of Qualifier 1
May 27 Final: Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2.