NEW DELHI, March 27 -- The second phase of the IPL 2026 will begin on April 13 and conclude on May 24, the Board of Control for Cricket in India announced on Thursday while releasing the full fixtures of the league phase. The first phase runs from March 28 to April 12. The remainder of the league stage, comprising 50 matches, will be played across 12 venues in India with action resuming when Sunrisers Hyderabad takes on Rajasthan Royals in Hyderabad. The biggest takeaway from the schedule is that the two five-time champions Chennai Super Kings and Mumbai Indians will face off twice in the second phase of IPL 2026 while defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru will not travel to Chennai. The two sides will play the marquee clash only once - at the M Chinnaswamy stadium in Bengaluru on April 5. The second phase will feature eight double-headers, with afternoon matches starting at 3:30 PM IST and evening matches commencing at 7:30 PM IST. "Fans can look forward to an exciting phase of the tournament as teams jostle for positions in the lead-up to the final weeks of the league stage," said BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia in the statement. Punjab Kings will play their home matches in New Chandigarh and Dharamshala, including three matches in Dharamshala during this phase. Meanwhile, Rajasthan Royals will host four home games in Jaipur, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play three home matches in Bengaluru and two in Raipur. The schedule was announced in phases due to scheduling uncertainties surrounding state assembly elections in host cities like West Bengal, Tamil Nadu and Assam. The full schedule and venues for the playoffs will be announced later; the final is expected on May 31. April 1 (7:30 p.m) Lucknow Super Giants vs Delhi Capitals April 12 (3:30 p.m): Lucknow Super Giants vs Gujarat Titans April 22 (7.30 p.m): Lucknow Super Giants vs Rajasthan Royals April 26 (7.30 p.m): Lucknow Super Giants vs Kolkata Knight Riders May 7 (7.30 p.m): Lucknow Super Giants vs Royal Challengers Bangalore May 15 (7.30 p.m): Lucknow Super Giants vs Chennai Super Kings May 23 (7.30 p.m): Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings...