It’s been less than two weeks since Australia won its fifth Cricket World Cup title, but to some cricket fans, the final may have felt like it occurred a month ago. Those fans won’t have to wait much longer for more exciting limited-overs competition, as the Indian Premier League begins its eighth season on Wednesday. Over the next two months, India and the world will be treated to arguably the most exciting T20 club tournament in the planet.

The first match of this year’s competition is one that will grab even a casual fan’s attention: the defending champion Kolkata Knight Riders against the iconic Mumbai Indians. Last season was a true roller coaster for Mumbai; they lost every game played in the UAE (the IPL was held there to start because of the ongoing elections in India), but Rohit Sharma and company rallied to make the playoffs, edging the Rajasthan Royals on a tiebreaker after this emphatic comeback in the last group game.

It will be a wild couple of weeks as clubs fight for the four playoff spots. Kings XI Punjab finished runners-up in 2014; can they gain a title this year? Chennai Super Kings have been perennial contenders under Indian national team captain MS Dhoni, while Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Daredevils seek a return to the IPL’s elite. For Rajasthan, the question isn’t whether they’ve had nightmares about their late-season collapse, but how many times; their two games against Mumbai – April 14 & May 1 – were circled on the calendar the minute the schedule was released. Sunrisers Hyderabad posted a 6-8 record a season ago, and have the unenviable task of opening the new campaign at Chennai.

Overall, the IPL is a great introduction to anyone who hasn’t followed cricket previously, or who had a faint interest and wants to learn more about the sport. The best players in the world are ready to display their talent for everyone to see.