Guwahati to host two games of Rajasthan Royals in upcoming IPL

Barsapara Stium in Guwahati will host former champions Rajasthan Royals' first two home matches during upcoming edition of Indian Premier League, BCCI said on Thursday.

"y will w play Delhi Capitals & Kolkata Knight Riders on April 5th & April 9th respectively in Guwahati. Both games will have an 8 PM IST start," BCCI secretary Jay Shah said in a release.

Rajasthan Royals will play ir remaining five home matches at ir designated home ground of Sawai Mansingh Stium in Jaipur.

Steve Smith-led Rajasthan Royals will open ir campaign with an away match against Chennai Super Kings on April 2.

" Royals are bringing IPL to rast for very first time, expanding cricket's footprint in region. See you in April, Guwahati!," Rajasthan Royals wrote on ir official twitter handle.

Last year, Rajasthan Royals h me a request to play few of ir matches in Guwahati and have been in talks with Assam Cricket Association (ACA) for quite sometime. move, which is backed by IPL Governing Council, was however challenged by a PIL at Rajasthan High Court earlier this year.

reason behind such a move was Royals' unhappiness with ailing cricketing ecosystem in state and also ir poor relation with Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA).

Royals also h been incurring losses due to reasons such as high demands for free tickets and mandatory allotment of seats to RCA.

Royals h earlier played at Ahmedab in 2010, and Ahmedab and Mumbai's Brabourne Stium in 2015 season.