IPL 2018 opening ceremony: Date, venue changed as CoA reduces budget by Rs 20 crores

Mumbai: The opening ceremony of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2018 will be held at Mumbai's Wankhede Stadium on April 7, confirmed the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources.

"The opening ceremony was earlier planned for April 6, but was later changed," said the sources.

Not just the date but the venue of the opening ceremony is also changed from the Cricket Club of India (CCI) to Wankhede Stadium.

The decision, reportedly, has been taken at the behest of Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators.

The Vinod Rai-led committee has also reduced the budget by Rs 20 crores.

“Earlier the budget for the opening ceremony was Rs 50 crore (approved by the IPL governing council), now it has been reduced to Rs 30 crore. This call, too, has been taken by the CoA,” a report in The Indian Express quoted a BCCI official as saying.

The opening game will see defending champions Mumbai Indians take on two-time winners Chennai Super Kings (CSK), which is returning to the league along with Rajasthan Royals after a gap of two years.

The two teams had to serve a two-year suspension over their officials' involvement in betting during the 2013 edition of the tournament.

The 11th edition of the world's most popular and competitive T20 tournament will be played at nine venues across 51 days.

Meanwhile, the second match will see Delhi Daredevils locking horns with Kings XI Punjab at the Feroz Shah Kotla Ground in New Delhi.

Kings XI Punjab will play their three home matches in Indore and four matches at home in Mohali.

The much-anticipated final between the winner of Qualifier 1 and the winner of Qualifier 2 will be played at Wankhede Stadium on May 27.