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The seventeenth version of the Indian Premier League (IPL) – world cricket's largest T20 match – begins on Friday, March 22, with defending champions Chennai Tremendous Kings internet hosting Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The match options 10 groups crammed with most of the best gamers from all over the world.
Though the prize cash for this yr's IPL has not been confirmed by the organizers, and if earlier years are something to go by, this time the IPL purse is anticipated to be round $6 million, with the successful crew gathering round $2.4 million.
1. Can Virat Kohli lastly seize the foremost title that has eluded him?
Virat Kohli is a participant who has received nearly all the pieces there may be to win in world cricket – besides an IPL title.
The Indian batsman has performed in all 16 IPL seasons for Royal Challengers Bangalore, ending as match runners-up in 2009, 2011 and 2016. He’s the all-time main run-scorer in IPL historical past.
With Kohli lacking the current house sequence in opposition to England as a result of private causes, some imagine the clock can also be ticking on the 35-year-old's IPL profession – may 2024 be the long-lasting batsman's last season Is?
This yr's occasion represents one in all Kohli's finest alternatives to win the IPL. He joins the formidable Australian skills of Glenn Maxwell and Cameron Inexperienced, South African captain Faf du Plessis and quick bowler Indian teammate Mohammed Siraj within the 2024 Bangalore squad.
An IPL crown for Kohli can be an ideal last chapter within the profession of one of many best cricketers of all time.
2. Will Mitchell Starc dwell as much as that file contract?
Australian quick bowler Mitchell Starc made headlines final December when he broke the IPL public sale file and have become the costliest participant ever with a price ticket of $2.98 million.
The 34-year-old Starc was auctioned by Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) because the centerpiece of their 2024 IPL season marketing campaign. The left-arm quick bowler has scored a formidable common of 23 with 74 wickets in 60 T20 Internationals in his bowling profession in T20.
However the left-arm quick bowler final performed the IPL in 2015 and has had an extended injury-filled historical past with the IPL.
In 2016, he was out of the match as a result of a leg fracture. In 2018, Starc signed for Kolkata for an enormous sum – however he was injured once more and by no means performed for the crew. In 2022, he additionally withdrew, citing “(COVID-19) bubble fatigue”.
In 2024, Kolkata will hope that Starc can make them their first IPL title in 10 years. If the massive Australian stays wholesome, few bowlers in world cricket can statistically impression the competitors greater than Starc.
3. Why is the total schedule launch of IPL 2024 being delayed as a result of Indian elections?
The match, which can final for nearly two months, will start on Friday, March 22. Final month, organizers had solely introduced a partial schedule for the primary 21 matches until April 7 because the dates for India's upcoming normal elections had not been introduced at the moment.
It’s understood that points associated to the administration of the match, satisfactory policing and safety are being thought-about behind the announcement of curtailment of this system throughout elections within the nation.
The election schedule was introduced final week, the elections will run from April 19 to June 4 and IPL organizers are anticipated to launch the dates for the remaining occasions within the subsequent few days.
After the election, it’s anticipated that the organizers must take into account the schedule of the IPL match with attainable three-day matches in a couple of days.
It’s estimated that the IPL will finish on the finish of Could, which places it very near the approaching ICC T20 World Cup, beginning on June 1 in the USA and West Indies.
4. Can 42-year-old MS Dhoni beat Father Time and lead Chennai to the title (once more)?
No participant has the Midas contact within the IPL like MS Dhoni.
The evergreen Indian wicketkeeper-batsman has received the match a file 5 instances in 2010, 2011, 2018, 2021 and 2023.
Rumors are circulating that the 2024 IPL might be their final probability on this profitable competitors – however we've heard these rumors earlier than. Extremely, Dhoni has not performed a single skilled sport because the Tremendous Kings defeated Gujarat Titans within the IPL 2023 last 10 months in the past.
If Dhoni is to steer Chennai to a different title this yr, he will definitely have a powerful arsenal of gamers to take action: Ravindra Jadeja, Daryl Mitchell and Moeen Ali head an impressively confirmed Tremendous Kings squad.
If Dhoni wins a sixth IPL title, it can add to the already exceptional legacy of the participant who skilled an unprecedented second cricketing profession pinnacle as IPL winner alongside his extremely profitable Indian worldwide profession which resulted in 2017 Is.
If that is certainly the farewell to his profession, then Dhoni – one in all India's all-time favourite cricketers – can anticipate unimaginable help throughout the nation through the IPL.
