The second edition of IPL 2009 will start from April 18 with the first match being played at  the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town. The final will be held at none other than Wanderers in Johannesburg on May 24as per the new schedule released by IPL. The semi-finals have been scheduled to be held on May 22nd and 23rd at Pretoria and Johannesburg respectively.

There will be two games on the first day, last year’s IPL winners Rajasthan Royal will take on the Malaya’s Bangalore Royal Challengers, while the Mumbai Indians would clash with the last years runners-up Chennai Super Kings at Cape Town.

In all, the 59 matches will be held in eight cities: Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Pretoria, East London, Kimberly, Bloemfontein and Port Elizabeth. With many south asians staying at Kingsmead in Durban, it has been alloted a majority share of 16 matches while the Centurion Park in Pretoria, which also serves as a home to many Indians will host 12 ties.

The daily timings for the matches are at 4 pm Indian Time – (12.30 pm local SA time) and 8 pm Indian Time – (4.30pm local SA time)  A total of ten double headers which is two matches at the same venue will be played during the tournament. The Indian Tv Channel Sony will telecast the matches in three languages – English, Hindi and Bengali.

IPL 2009 Schedule: All times are Indian Standard Time (IST)

Team Codes:

Rajasthan Royals = RR
Royal Challengers Bangalore = RCB
Mumbai Indians = MI
Chennai Super Kings = CSK
Kolkata Knight Riders = KKR
Deccan Chargers = DC
Delhi Daredevils= DD
Kings XI Punjab= KXIP

April 18: RR v RCB – 4 pm & MI Vs CSK – 8 pm at Cape Town

April 19: KKR v DC – 4 pm & DD v KXIP – 8 pm at Cape Town

April 20: RCB V CSK – 4 pm at Port Elizabeth

April 21: RR v MI – 4 pm at Durban & KKR v KXIP – 8 pm at Durban

April 22: DD v CSK – 4 pm at Durban & RCB v DC – 8 pm at Cape Town

April 23: KKR v RR – 4 pm at Port Elizabeth

April 24: KXIP v RCB – 4 pm at Johannesburg

April 25: KKR v CSK – 4 pm at Cape Town & DC v MI – 8 pm at Durban

April 26: RR v KXIP – 4 pm at Cape Town & RCB v DD – 8 pm Port Elizabeth

April 27: KKR v MI – 4 pm at Cape Town & CSK v DC – 8 pm at Durban

April 28: DD v RR – 4 pm at Pretoria

April 29: MI v KXIP – 4 pm at Durban & KKR v RCB – 8 pm at Durban

April 30: DD v DC – 4 pm at Pretoria & RR v CSK – 8 pm at Pretoria

May 1: RCB v KXIP – 4 pm at East London & MI v KKR – 8 pm at Durban

May 2: RR v DC – 4 pm at Johannesburg & CSK v DD – 8 pm at Port Elizabeth

May 3: MI v RCB – 4 pm at Durban & KXIP v KKR – 8 pm at East London

May 4: DC v CSK – 4 pm at Port Elizabeth

May 5: DD v KKR – 4 pm at Durban & KXIP v RR – 8 pm at Durban

May 6: MI v DC – 4 pm at Pretoria

May 7: KXIP v CSK – 4 pm at Pretoria & RCB v RR – 8 pm at Pretoria

May 8: DD v MI – 4 pm at East London

May 9: DC v KXIP – 4 pm at Bloemfontein & CSK v RR – 8 pm at Port Elizabeth

May 10: KKR v DD – 4 pm at East London & RCB v MI – 8 pm at Johannesburg

May 11: DC v RR – 4 pm at Bloemfontein

May 12: RCB v KKR – 4 pm at Pretoria & KXIP v MI – 8 pm at Pretoria

May 13: DC v DD – 4 pm at Durban

May 14: MI v RR – 4 pm at Durban & CSK v RCB – 8 pm at Durban

May 15: KXIP v DD – 4 pm at Kimberley

May 16: CSK v MI – 4 pm at Johannesburg & DC v KKR – 8 pm at Port Elizabeth

May 17: RR v DD – 4 pm at Kimberley & KXIP v DC – 8 pm at Johannesburg

May 18: CSK v KKR – 4 pm at Pretoria

May 19: DD v RCB – 4 pm at Johannesburg

May 20: CSK v KXIP – 4 pm at Durban & RR v KKR – 8 pm at Durban

May 21: DC v RCB – 4 pm at Pretoria & MI v DD – 8 pm at Pretoria

May 22: Semi Final 1 at Pretoria

May 23: Semi Final 2 at Johannesburg

May 24: Final at Johannesburg

South Africa will host the second edition of the IPL – Indian Premier League this year – relocated because of security concerns due to ongoing elections and laso the recent attack on the Sri Lankan team.

“We are very happy to confirm that South Africa will host the second edition of the DLF Indian Premier League tournament – 2009,” IPl Chairman Lalit Modi said today. Earlier, Lalit Modi and the Cricket South Africa CEO Gerald Majola finalised the event and dates in Johannesburg today.

Mr Majola further added that he is pleased that both the CSA and the Nation stood together and showed confidence in holding such a big tournament at such a short notice.

Meanwhile, UK who was also a contender to host the tournament was moved over security concerns.

The second edition was IPL was originally scheduled to start from April 10 till May 24, but the dates clashed with the general elections in India between April 16 and May 13.

Not only security but the weather, TV timings and cheaper costs are speculated to have made South Africa a more attractive option than Britain.

However media reports in India indicates that majority of the general public – the sports loving people are unhappy with the decision as they will miss a much awaited piece of action.