Top Five must watch games for first schedule of IPL 2024

Indian Cricket fans had a lot of reason to be overjoyed as the first schedule for IPL 2024 has been announced. The release of the much-anticipated dates happened on the 22nd of February at 17:30 IST. 

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MS Dhoni and his Chennai Super Kings side will begin their new season as they look to defend their crown. IPL 2024 will also feature the return of young Indian dashing talent Rishabh Pant. The 26-year-old has been out of action since suffering a near-fatal accident in late 2022. 

In this article, we cast a look at the top five must-watch games from the first schedule of IPL 2024. 

5 – Sunrisers Hyderabad vs Mumbai Indians – 27th March, Hyderabad 

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Rohit Sharma and Pat Cummins will cross paths yet again as the veteran Indian batter will have a point to prove. Relieved of his captaincy, Rohit Sharma will want to show the world his talents as a T20 batter. Hyderabad will witness one of the must-watch matches of IPL 2024 when the two cricketing behemoths take to the field. 

Pat Cummins meanwhile, will come into IPL 2024 with two objectives in mind. Firstly to justify his price tag as the first ever INR 20 Crores cricketer. Secondly to get in form for the upcoming T20I World Cup in the West Indies and the USA. 

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4 – Kolkata Knight Riders vs Sunrisers Hyderabad – 23rd March, Kolkata

It is said to be the battle of the millionaires as KKR’s Mitchell Starc takes on SRH’s Pat Cummins. Mitchell Starc will make his IPL return after nine years as the costliest player in the history of the league. The left-arm pacer is the most sought-after bowler in the world for his pace and accuracy. 

Kolkata will welcome one of its former stars in Pat Cummins the Australian Test and ODI skipper. It will be one of the earliest must-watch games of IPL 2024 as the two Australian stars try to outdo each other in a battle for supremacy. 

3- Chennai Super Kings vs Royal Challengers Bangalore – 22nd March, Chennai 

The very first game of IPL 2024 is set to be a mouth-watering clash between two Indian giants. Chennai Super Kings the defending champions will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the curtain raiser. 

MS Dhoni’s final IPL season is set to begin with his famous battle against Virat Kohli. This must-watch game of IPL 2024 is sure to attract a lot of fans in the ground. TV sets and OTT platforms as fans in India and around the world get their first taste of IPL action. 

2- Gujarat Titans vs Mumbai Indians – 24th March, Ahmedabad 

This clash was inevitable but no one knew that it would come in the first weekend of IPL 2024. Hardik Pandya will return to the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad as the skipper of Mumbai Indians. 

For two years the 30-year-old was leading the charge of Gujarat Titans and made them a formidable force. The must-match game of IPL 2024 is set to witness Rohit Sharma play as a regular member of his side for the first time in nearly a dozen years. 

1- Kolkata Knight Riders vs Royal Challengers Bangalore – 29th March, Kolkata

The biggest game of the first schedule of IPL 2024 is set to dominate headlines. Former champions KKR will host RCB in front of a passionate Kolkata crowd. Gautam Gambhir who is now the mentor for KKR will look to cross paths with his rival Virat Kohli. 

During the IPL 2023 season, Gautam Gambhir as the mentor for LSG gained infamy for his run-ins with RCB. One expects no love to be lost between the two sides as they face each other at the Eden Gardens. With two combustible forces against each other, this is the most must-watch match of the IPL 2024 season’s first schedule.