IPL lock dates for 2025 and upcoming seasons

The IPL has taken a big step by revealing the schedules for the next three seasons. The 2025 IPL will kick off on March 14, with the final set for May 25. The 2026 season will run from March 15 to May 31, while the 2027 season will take place between March 14 and May 30.  

An email sent to franchises on Thursday outlined these dates, referring to them as “windows.” However, it is likely these will remain as the final schedules. The 2025 season will feature 74 matches, the same as the last three years.  

Interestingly, the IPL had initially planned for 84 matches in the 2025 and 2026 seasons and up to 94 matches by 2027 when it sold its media rights for 2023-2027.  

In positive news for franchises, players from most Full Member nations will be available for the next three IPL seasons. Pakistan’s players, however, remain absent due to political tensions.  

Here’s how the availability of players from key nations shapes up:  

- Australia: Cricket Australia has cleared all players, both international and domestic, for the 2025 season. In 2026, some players will join after an ODI series in Pakistan, ending no later than March 18. In 2027, players involved in a special Australia-England Test match will join after the game.  
- England: The ECB has confirmed 18 centrally contracted players, including stars like Jofra Archer, Jos Buttler, and Harry Brook, will be fully available from 2025 to 2027. Ben Stokes, however, will not participate in the 2025 IPL.  
- South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, and Zimbabwe: Players from these nations will be fully available.  
- Sri Lanka: Players will be fully available in 2025 and for future seasons if retained.  
- Bangladesh: Thirteen players have been listed with varying availability across the next three years, including Taskin Ahmed, Shakib Al Hasan, and Mustafizur Rahman.  

Despite earlier plans to expand the number of matches, the IPL has decided to stick with 74 games for 2025, citing concerns over player workloads, especially for Indian cricketers.

The announcement of schedules and player availability is expected to help franchises plan better for upcoming seasons. With the 2025 IPL just months away, fans and teams alike are eagerly looking forward to what promises to be another thrilling season of cricket.