The Indian Premier League begins this week and for two months the T20 carnival will be pretty much the only show in cricket.
When Gujarat Titans begin their title defence against Chennai Super Kings on Friday, it will mark the beginning of the unofficial countdown to the World Cup, which will be held in India later this year.
While the World Cup is for the 50-overs crown, players from many teams – especially India – will be looking to prove their match readiness and also gain valuable intel on venues that will be used for the main tournament in October and November.
England all-rounder and T20 World Cup winner Sam Curran will have the eyes of the cricket world on him after fetching a record bid of $2.26 million by Punjab Kings during the player auction. Up-and-coming star Harry Brook – who also struck gold during the auction, going to Sunrisers Hyderabad for $1.6m – will be keen to prove his worth.
This year will have a few new rules that should add to the excitement. Now, captains will get to announce their playing XI after the toss, which should make for better team selection. Also, teams can utilise an "impact player" who can replace a starter in the team during the match.
Another aspect to look forward to is the new jerseys of the teams this season. You can see the new kits in the picture gallery below.
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Chennai Super Kings captain MS Dhoni, centre, with their jersey for IPL 2023. @ChennaiIPL / Twitter -
Royal Challengers Bangalore unveiled their new jersey for IPL 2023 at the Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru. @RCBTweets / Twitter -
Lucknow Super Giants players Krunal Pandya, left, and Avesh Khan with their IPL 2023 jersey. @LucknowIPL / Twitter -
Mumbai Indians star pacer Jofra Archer in his team's 2023 IPL jersey. @mipaltan / Twitter -
Delhi Capitals jersey for IPL 2023. @delhicapitals / Instagram -
Rajasthan Royals captain Sanju Samson with their IPL 2023 jersey. @rajasthanroyals / Instagram -
Kolkata Knight Riders' jersey for IPL 2023. @kkriders / Instagram -
Sunrisers Hyderabad's new playing kit for IPL 2023. Photo: @sunrisershyd / Instagram -
Gujarat Titans player Wriddhiman Saha with the IPL 2023 jersey. @gujarat_titans / Instagram -
Punjab Kings' Shikhar Dhawan, left, ahead of IPL 2023. @punjabkingsipl / Instagram
When does IPL 2023 start?
The season opens with a match between defending champions Gujarat Titans and Chennai Super Kings at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Friday, March 31, 2023. The game begins at 6pm UAE time. The final takes place at the same venue on May 28.
How to watch matches in the UAE?
The IPL will be shown live in the UAE on Criclife 1 on the Starzplay app. Fans can also catch all highlights in iplt20.com
