IPL 2018 to kick start on April 7 with revised timings

Mumbai, January 22 (IANS): The 11th edition of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) will be held from April 7 to May 27 with revised timings, the IPL Governing Council (GC) announced here on Monday.   Accepting broadcaster Star Sports' request, the IPL GC, which met here on Monday, has also allowed a shift in the timings of the matches, which will see the 8 p.m. games being advanced by an hour while the 4 p.m. afternoon games have now been pushed to 5.30 p.m.   Addressing the media here, IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla said the tournament opener and final will be played here while the opening ceremony of the tournament will take place here on April 6.   "The broadcaster has requested for change in timings. By and large the GC has accepted it. It gets too late in the night if the game starts at 8 p.m.," Shukla said.   "As far as the double headers on weekends are concerned. The 4 p.m. game will now be played at 5.30 p.m. There will be an overlap but the broadcaster says it has enough channels to show the games simultaneously," Shukla added.   A total of 578 players including 360 Indians will go under the hammer at the IPL auction in Bengaluru on January 27 and 28.