Durban to host 16 IPL ties

Mumbai, March 28: The second DLF Indian Premier League will be held in eight cities in South Africa, including Cape Town and Johannesburg which are to host the opening tie and the final respectively, as per the official fixtures list released on Saturday.The schedule of the high-profile Twenty20 League, to be held in South Africa from April 18-May 24, has been released after the organizers have fine-tuned the earlier programme sent to the franchises.

Sachin Tendulkar-led Mumbai Indians would clash with last years runners-up Chennai Super Kings, led by India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, to kick off the cash-rich tournament that traverses the length and breadth of the Rainbow Nation. Durban, with its high population of people of South Asian origin, will host the maximum number of 16 matches, including five double headers (April 21, 29, May 5, 14 and 20) while Cape Town will have double headers on the first two days of the competition. Matches will be held at 12.30 pm and 4.30 pm local time. The schedule is (All times IST): April 18: Mumbai Indians (MI) v Chennai Super Kings (CSK) (4 pm) at Cape Town; Rajasthan Royals (RR) v Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) (8 pm) at Cape Town; April 19: Delhi Daredevils v Kings XI Punjab (4 pm) at Cape Town; Kolkata Knight Riders v Deccan Chargers (8 pm) at Cape Town April 20: RCB V CSK (8 pm) at Port Elizabeth. April 21: KKR v KXIP (4 pm); RR v MI (8 pm)at Durban; April 22: RCB v DC (8 pm) at Cape Town April 23: DD v CSK (4 pm) at Durban; KKR v RR (8 pm) at Cape Town April 24: KXIP v RCB (8 pm) at Durban April 25: DC v MI (4 pm) at Durban; KKR v CSK (8 pm) at Cape Town; April 26: RCB v DD (4 pm) Port Elizabeth; RR v KXIP (8 pm) at Cape Town;April 27: CSK v DC (4 pm) at Durban; KKR v MI (8 pm) at Port Elizabeth. April 28: DD v RR (8 pm) at Pretoria April 29: KKR v RCB (4 pm) at Durban; MI v KXIP (8 pm) at Durban; April 30: DD v DC (4 pm) at Pretoria; RR v CSK (8 pm) at Pretoria. May 1: MI v KKR (4 pm) at East London; RCB v KXIP (8 pm) at Durban; May 2: RR v DC (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth; CSK v DD (8 pm) at Johannesburg May 3: KXIP v KKR (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth; MI v RCB (8 pm) at Johannesburg May 4: DC v CSK (8 pm) at East London May 5: KXIP v RR (4 pm) at Durban; DD v KKR (8 pm) at Durban; May 6: MI v DC (8 pm) at Pretoria May 7: RCB v RR (4 pm) at Pretoria; KXIP v CSK (8 pm) at Pretoria; May 8: DD v MI (8 pm) at East London May 9: DC v KXIP (4 pm) at Kimberley; CSK v RR (8 pm) at Kimberley May 10: RCB v MI (4 pm) Port Elizabeth KKR v DD (8 pm) at Johannesburg May 11: DC v RR (8 pm) at Kimberley May 12: RCB v KKR (4 pm) at Pretoria; KXIP v MI (8 pm) at Pretoria. May 13: DC v DD (8 pm) at Durban May 14: CSK v RCB (4 pm) at Durban; MI v RR (8 pm) at Durban; May 15: KXIP v DD (8 pm) at Bloemfontein May 16: CSK v MI (4 pm) at Port Elizabeth; DC v KKR (8 pm) at Johannesburg May 17: KXIP v DC (4 pm) at Johannesburg; RR v DD (8 pm) at Bloemfontein; May 18: CSK v KKR (8 pm) at Pretoria May 19: DD v RCB (8 pm) at Johannesburg May 20: RR v KKR (4 pm) at Durban; CSK v KXIP (8 pm) at Durban; May 21: MI v DD (4 pm) at Pretoria; DC v RCB (8 pm) at Pretoria; May 22: Semi Final 1 (8 pm) at Pretoria May 23: Semi Final 2 (8 pm) at Johannesburg May 24: Final (8 p m) at Johannesburg. Bureau Report