Late change to IPL fixture list as two matches rescheduled

HUZAIFA YOUSAFZAI: Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Titans and Delhi Capitals have all been impacted by the fixture change

The Cricketer | 02/04/2024 at 17:09

Two Indian Premier League matches have been rescheduled due to a festival in Kolkata.

Kolkata Knight Riders' clash with Rajasthan Royals had been due to be held at Eden Gardens on April 17.

However, the match has been brought forward by 24 hours to April 16 due to concerns from the Kolkata police department about their ability to provide adequate security for the match as well as local celebrations for the Hindu festival of Ram Navami.

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^{A number of teams have been affected by the fixture change [Getty Images]}

Consequently, Gujarat Titans versus Delhi Capitals, which is being held at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad, has moved from April 16 to April 17.

The IPL are yet to comment on what the ticketing situation is for both matches.

The schedule has been at the centre of attention throughout the 2024 IPL. Initially, only a small block of matches (March 22-April 7) were confirmed, with organisers waiting for the dates of the Indian general election to be announced.

And matches being rescheduled is far from a rare occurrence. During last year's ODI World Cup, for example, the Cricket Association for Bengal asked the BCCI to move England versus Pakistan from November 12 to November 11 in order to prevent a clash with the festival of Kali Puja. The Ahmedabad police faced problems similar to that when the city hosted India's World Cup clash with Pakistan, with the match coinciding with the first day of Navarati.

In total, nine different games during the 2023 World Cup were rescheduled, with the BCCI explaining that it was due to several different organisations having logistical issues.

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