IPL 2015 Schedule: Upcoming Live Stream, TV Info for Indian Premier League
Rory Marsden@@roomarsden
Featured ColumnistApril 8, 2015
All eight teams will be looking for a flying start to the 2015 IPL as it kicks off with Kolkata Knight Riders' Eden Gardens clash with Mumbai Indians on Wednesday.
Chennai Super Kings are pre-tournament favourites, while Royal Challengers Bangalore look set to vastly improve on their seventh-place finish from 2014 after putting together a strong outfit.
Last year's blockbuster outfit, Kings XI Punjab, will surely be in the mixer at the business end once again this season, but each team will be looking to avoid a potentially morale-busting poor start.
Here is the fixture list for the opening week's play in the IPL:
| IPl 2015: Upcoming Schedule | ||
| Date | Time (BST/IST) | Fixture |
| April 8 | 3:30 p.m/8 p.m. | Kolkata Knight Riders v Mumbai Indians |
| April 9 | 3:30 p.m/8 p.m. | Chennai Super Kings v Delhi Daredevils |
| April 10 | 3:30 p.m/8 p.m. | Kings XI Punjab v Rajasthan Royals |
| April 11 | 11:30 a.m./4 p.m. | Chennai Super Kings v Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| April 11 | 3:30 p.m/8 p.m. | Kolkata Knight Riders v Royal Challengers Bangalore |
| April 12 | 11:30 a.m./4 p.m. | Delhi Daredevils v Rajasthan Royals |
| April 12 | 3:30 p.m/8 p.m. | Mumbai Indians v Kings XI Punjab |
| April 13 | 3:30 p.m/8 p.m. | Royal Challengers Bangalore v Sunrisers Hyderabad |
| April 14 | 3:30 p.m/8 p.m. | Rajasthan Royals v Mumbai Indians |
| IPLT20.com | ||
Live stream available in the UK via Sky Go, with all matches live on Sky Sports.
RCB Dangerous in 2015
Bangalore have yet to win an IPL crown and underwhelmed hugely last year, as they finished seventh with 10 points from their 14 matches.
In the two seasons previous to that, they also failed to reach the knockout stages, finishing fifth both times.
Their best results have been as losing finalists—in 2009 and 2011—but they could well go one better this year with a mouth-watering batting lineup which includes Chris Gayle, Virat Kohli and the incomparable AB de Villiers.
Mitchell Starc will lead the bowling unit fresh from a Player of the Tournament turn at the recent World Cup, although the Australian paceman will miss the Royal Challengers' opening encounters, per ESPN's Freddie Wilde:
With their batting power, Starc's absence should not hamstring Bangalore too much early on. If Gayle, Kohli and De Villers—as well as Darren Sammy and Dinesh Karthik—all hit their straps in the early going, they should blow away opening-week opponents Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad.
A decent set of results in the opening week would set RCB up well for the return of Starc and surely ready them for an onslaught on the top of the table and a first IPL title.
Super Kings Set for Flying Start
While Royal Challengers face a tough opener against defending champions KKR and may be short in the bowling department, Chennai Super Kings face no such challenges early in IPL 8.
They should get two wins from two matches in the opening week, as they face arguably two of the tournament's weaker sides in Delhi Daredevils and Hyderabad.
The IPL's most consistent side—finalists on five occasions and two-time winners—are set to challenge for the top prize once again this year, skippered by MS Dhoni, per Broken Cricket:
The quality on display for CSK is incredible with Brendon McCullum, Suresh Raina and Dwayne Smith headlining an explosive and experienced batting unit.
Meanwhile, the bowling group is also strong with Ravi Ashwin, Mohit Sharma and Kyle Abbott joined by all-rounder Dwayne Bravo.
This could give them the edge throughout the competition with bowling variation so key, and a flying start—not a given for CSK in the past—could see them leading from the front throughout.