Reports | Evening matches likely to start at 8 PM from IPL 2023, afternoon matches at 4 PM
As per Cricbuzz, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has told the prospective broadcasters that its preferred time to start IPL matches from next year is 8 pm. The board has also told the broadcasters that they want to start afternoon games from 4 pm, 30 minutes after the current timings.
According to a latest report filed by Cricbuzz, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has informed the prospective broadcasters that they want to start evening matches in IPL at 8 pm from next year onwards. Also, there won't be too many double headers from next year but, the afternoon fixtures will likely to begin at 4 pm. In IPL 2022, the evening matches start at 7.30 pm and the afternoon games at 3.30 pm.
"BCCI's preferred start times for double-headers being 4 pm and 8 pm Indian Standard Time," the BCCI was reportedly said in a communique to the interested parties who want to bid for the television and digital rights of the league for the 2023-27 five-year cycle.
In the first broadcast cycle of 10 years, the IPL matches started at 4 and 8 pm. But in the second cycle of five years, on the request of host broadcasters Star Sports, who paid INR 16,347 crore, the timings were advanced.
The bidding process for the next cycle will take place on June 12. The BCCI, meanwhile, has fixed a combined base price of INR 32,890 crore for the four bouquets it has put up for sale. Star India, Viacom 18, Dream 11, Sony, Amazon, Zee, Supersports in South Africa and Sky in the UK have bought the ITT document.