Inaugural APL season to showcase 43 matches; Charaideo to face Barpeta in opener

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: The inaugural season of the Assam Premier League (APL) have 43 matches and will cover 23-day. The tournament will get underway on August 1 with Charaideo Sunrisers taking on Barpeta Braves in the opening encounter at 2:00 PM. The opening day double-header will then see Tezpur Titans face Dibrugarh Warriors at 7:00 PM.

Among the 43 matches, 40 will be played during the league stage, followed by two semi-finals and the grand finale. Each team will face every other team once in the league stage, along with three reverse fixtures, creating exciting rematches and the potential for intense rivalries as the battle for a place in the top four heats up.

The opening weekend will continue with another exciting double-header on Sunday, August 2, as Barak Legends take on Nagaon Rangers before Guwahati Royals begin their campaign against Jorhat Stallions in the evening fixture.

Among the matches to watch out for will be the battle between Dibrugarh Warriors and Guwahati Royals, with the two sides meeting twice, first under lights on August 10 and again on August 18. Charaideo Sunrisers and Guwahati Royals will also face off twice, on August 11 and August 19, setting the stage for another potentially compelling rivalry.

The schedule also throws up a number of repeat contests that could develop into marquee rivalries during the inaugural season. Tezpur Titans and Guwahati Royals meet on August 8 before renewing their rivalry on August 15, while Dibrugarh Warriors and Jorhat Stallions clash on the same two weekends, on August 8 and August 16.

Barpeta Braves and Nagaon Rangers will face each other on August 7 and August 16, while Charaideo Sunrisers and Nagaon Rangers meet on August 9 and again on August 17. The Barpeta Braves-Barak Legends contest will also get a second chapter, with fixtures scheduled for August 9 and August 17.

The final day of the league stage on August 20 could prove decisive in determining the semi-final line-up, with Tezpur Titans taking on Barak Legends at 2:00 PM before Dibrugarh Warriors face Nagaon Rangers in the final league encounter at 7:00 PM.

The top four teams at the conclusion of the league stage will progress to the semi-finals on August 21. The second and third-placed teams will meet in the first semi-final at 2:00 PM, while the table-toppers will face the fourth-placed side in the second semi-final at 7:00 PM. The final is slated for August 23.

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