IPL Schedule 2016: Updated Fixtures, Times, Live Stream and Cricket Predictions

Gujarat Lions play their first ever Indian Premier League match on Monday as they face up to Kings XI Punjab for the third game of the 2016 tournament. 

The other new side, Rising Pune Supergiants, kicked off their campaign with a crushing victory over defending champions Mumbai Indians on Saturday, before Kolkata Knight Riders claimed a nine-wicket victory over Delhi Daredevils on Sunday.

A fast start is not essential to winning the tournament but can make a big difference in calming nerves and building momentum throughout the campaign.

Read on for the upcoming schedule in IPL 9, along with live streaming information, predictions and a closer examination of Monday's clash in Mohali.

Date	Time (BST/IST)	Fixture	Venue	Prediction
April 11	3:30 p.m/8 p.m.	Kings XI Punjab vs Gujarat Lions	Mohali	GL win
April 12	3:30 p.m/8 p.m.	Royal Challengers Bangalore vs Sunrisers Hyderabad	Bengaluru	RCB win
April 13	3:30 p.m/8 p.m.	Kolkata Knight Riders vs Mumbai Indians	Kolkata	KKR win
April 14	3:30 p.m/8 p.m.	Gujarat Lions vs Rising Pune Supergiants	Rajkot	RPS win
April 15	3:30 p.m/8 p.m.	Delhi Daredevils vs Kings XI Punjab	Delhi	DD win
April 16	11:30 a.m/4 p.m.	Sunrisers Hyderabad vs. Kolkata Knight Riders	Deccan	KKR win
April 16	3:30 p.m/8 p.m.	Mumbai Indians vs. Gujarat Lions	Mumbai	MI win

Click here for the full tournament schedule. Watch all matches live on Sky Sports and live stream via Sky Go (UK only).

Kings XI Punjab vs Gujarat Lions 

Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Kings XI have enjoyed wildly differing fortunes over the last couple of tournaments. Though they did not win it in 2014—they lost to KKR in the final—they topped the league stage with 11 wins from their 14 matches and looked irresistible for much of the campaign.

By contrast, they lost 11 times in the 2015 IPL and finished rock bottom of the league table.

There have been some significant squad changes for IPL 9, as Virender Sehwag has retired and skipper George Bailey is no longer in the squad.

South Africa's David Miller will captain the side for 2016 and his runs will be crucial if Kings XI are to push for the title this year.

The loss of Sehwag means they now lack a power hitter at the top of the order, although Glenn Maxwell could play a huge role if he can find some form in the middle order.

Mitchell Johnson and Mohit Sharma will be the key men with the ball if Kings XI are to shackle a strong-looking Gujarat batting lineup.

There is plenty of Chennai Super Kings DNA in the Lions squad, with Suresh Raina taking the captaincy and Dwayne Smith, Brendon McCullum, Ravindra Jadeja and Dwayne Bravo all on board as well.

Ahead of their opening match, Raina hailed the balance of his side, per Prajakta Pawar of IPLT20.com:

"

It is a new team but we still have old teammates. Baz (McCullum) is there, Bravo is there (from the Chennai Super Kings), and a few others are also with us. It is important to just know your strengths and look to be positive in all three departments and the results will fall in place.

We do have a balanced side. To be honest I think all the players have done really well in domestic cricket. They have done really well in the IPL as well as when representing their respective first-class teams. We just need to go out there and start very positively. I'm pretty sure we're going to do really well.

"

With all-rounders Jadeja, Bravo and James Faulkner all available, Gujarat certainly have a number of options in how they can set up, all of which should allow them to bat deep.

And in Raina, they have one of the most experienced and effective IPL batsmen of all time, per cricket statistician Mohandas Menon:

Gujarat Lions have put together a formidable looking outfit and have the benefit of lowered expectations given they are a new and unknown side.

Kings XI have pressure on them to improve on last year's debacle, and they look set to be overturned in their first match of IPL 9 by the Lions' superior quality.