Muscat, Feb 25
The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 edition will see the most watched cricket league in the world taking a new avatar in a whole new format comprising groups and seedings.
The 10-team tournament will see the sides divided into two groups of five teams each with seedings allotted on the basis of the number of IPL titles won and finals reached.
Group A includes five-time IPL champions Mumbai Indians, two-time winners Kolkata Knight Riders, champions of the inaugural 2008 edition Rajasthan Royals, Delhi Capitals and the debutants Lucknow Super Giants.
Four-time champions Chennai Super Kings headline Group B with 2009 winners Sunrisers Hyderabad, Royal Challengers Bangalore, Punjab Kings and Gujarat Titans the other teams.
The format will be such that each team in a group will play 14 matches wherein a team will play twice against the other four teams from the same group and the corresponding team in the same row of the other group.
Teams will also play once against the remaining four teams from the other group on a two-home only and two-away only basis to complete their quota of 14 league matches.
The home and away concept will not take place in full swing in this edition as the IPL has decided to restrict the tournament’s league phase to four venues across two cities: Mumbai and Pune.
While Mumbai will host the bulk of the matches (55) at Wankhede Stadium (20), Brabourne Stadium (15) and DY Patil Stadium (20), Pune’s MCA International Stadium will host 15 games.
