Even before the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League [ Images ] gets underway, the second season of the BCCI-backed Twenty20 [ Images ] venture has been scheduled tentatively from April 10 to May 29, 2009.

Websites banned from IPL

IPL Chairman Lalit Modi [ Images ] made the announcement in Mumbai [ Images ] on Tuesday, adding the format of the tournament would remain unchanged in its second season.

The eight franchisees will first play against one another in a league on home-and-away basis. The top four teams will then figure in the two semi-finals and the winners of the semi-finals will clash in the final.

The first edition of the IPL kicks off on April 18 with a game between Royal Challengers [ Images ] and Kolkata Knight Riders [ Images ] in Bangalore, and will end on June 1.

"The dates of the second season of the DLF Indian Premier League were decided at a meeting of the Governing Council of the DLF Indian Premier League held in Mumbai. I am confident of the inaugural season becoming a huge success and the second season will be even a bigger success," Modi said in a release.