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IPL 2012 begins April 4. Check out the schedule

January 06, 2012 17:24 IST

Defending champions Chennai Super Kings take on Mumbai Indians in the inaugural match of the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League, at Chennai's M A Chidambaram stadium, on April 4.

The cash-rich Twenty20 tournament will have nine franchisee teams play 76 matches across 12 venues in the run-up to the final on May 27.

The league stage of the 54-day event comprises 72 matches, with each team playing the other eight in a home-and-away format.

The play-offs will be hosted by Bangalore and Chennai, the two finalists of the previous edition.

While Bangalore will host Qualifier 1 [the table topper from the league stage versus the second team (1 vs 2)] and the Eliminator [between the third and fourth-placed teams (3 vs 4)] on May 22 and 23 respectively, Chennai will be the venue for Qualifier 2 [loser of Qualifier 1 vs winner of Eliminator] on May 25.

The city will also host the final on May 27.

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

Kochi Tuskers Kerala, which made its debut in 2011, will not figure in the fifth season as the franchise was terminated by the BCCI last September for breaching its terms of agreement.

The schedule (matches at 1600 and 2000 IST):

Apr 4: Chennai Super Kings vs Mumbai Indians

Apr 5: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Delhi Daredevils

Apr 6: Mumbai Indians vs Pune Warriors India

Apr 6: Rajasthan Royals vs Kings XI Punjab

Apr 7: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Delhi Daredevils

Apr 7: Deccan Chargers vs Chennai Super Kings

Apr 8: Rajasthan Royals vs Kolkata Knight Riders

Apr 8: Pune Warriors India vs Kings XI Punjab

Apr 9: Deccan Chargers vs Mumbai Indians

Apr 10: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Kolkata Knight Riders

Apr 10: Delhi Daredevils Chennai Super Kings

Apr 11: Mumbai Indians vs Rajasthan Royals

Apr 12: Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

Apr 12: Kings XI Punjab vs Pune Warriors India

Apr 13: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Rajasthan Royals

Apr 14: Delhi Daredevils vs Deccan Chargers

Apr 14: Pune Warriors India vs Chennai Super Kings

Apr 15: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Kings XI Punjab

 Apr 15: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Rajasthan Royals

Apr 16: Mumbai Indians vs Delhi Daredevils

Apr 17: Rajasthan Royals vs Deccan Chargers

 Apr 17: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Pune Warriors India

Apr 18: Kings XI Punjab vs Kolkata Knight Riders

Apr 19: Deccan Chargers vs Delhi Daredevils

Apr 19: Chennai Super Kings vs Pune Warriors India

Apr 20: Kings XI Punjab vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

Apr 21: Chennai Super Kings vs Rajasthan Royals

Apr 21: Delhi Daredevils vs Pune Warriors India.

Apr 22: Mumbai Indians vs Kings XI Punjab

Apr 22: Deccan Chargers vs Kolkata Knight Riders

Apr 23: Rajasthan Royals vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

Apr 24: Pune Warriors India vs Delhi Daredevils

Apr 24: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Deccan Chargers

Apr 25: Kings XI Punjab vs Mumbai Indians

Apr 25: :Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Chennai Super Kings

Apr 26: Pune Warriors vs India Deccan Chargers

Apr 27: Delhi Daredevils vs Mumbai Indians

Apr 28: Chennai Super Kings vs Kings XI Punjab

Apr 28: Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

Apr 29: Delhi Daredevils vs Rajasthan Royals

Apr 29: Mumbai Indians vs Deccan Chargers

Apr 30: Chennai Super Kings vs Kolkata Knight Riders

May 1: Deccan Chargers vs Pune Warriors India

May 1: 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

May 5: Kings XI Punjab vs Rajasthan Royals

May 6: Mumbai Indians vs Chennai Super Kings

May 6: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Deccan Chargers

May 7: Delhi Daredevils vs Kolkata Knight Riders

May 8: Pune Warriors India vs Rajasthan Royals

May 8: 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

May 12: Chennai Super Kings vs Delhi Daredevils.

May 13: Rajasthan Royals vs Pune Warriors India

May 13: Kings XI Punjab vs Deccan Chargers

May 14: Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Mumbai Indians

May 14: 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

May 17: Delhi Daredevils vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

May 18: Deccan Chargers vs Rajasthan Royals

May 19: Kings XI Punjab vs Delhi Daredevils

May 19: Pune Warriors India vs Kolkata Knight Riders

May 20: Deccan Chargers vs Royal Challengers Bangalore

May 20: Rajasthan Royals vs Mumbai Indians

Play-offs:

May 22: Qualifier 1 First Placed Team vs Second Placed Team

May 23: Elminator Third Placed Team vs Fourth Placed Team

May 25: Qualifier 2 Winner of Eliminator vs Loser of Qualifier1

May 27: Final Winner of Qualifier 1 vs Winner of Qualifier 2.