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NEW DELHI: The Indian Premier League resumes on Saturday after its suspension because of the India-Pakistan conflict, but there are doubts over foreign players and the extended schedule has sparked a showdown with international cricket.
The IPL will now end on June 3, nine days later than planned, putting it on a collision course with the English summer of cricket and preparations for the World Test Championship (WTC) final at Lord’s on June 11.
An England ODI series against the West Indies starts on May 29 while the South Africa and Australia squads are due to begin build-up for their WTC final before the end of May.
Proteas coach Shukri Conrad said on Tuesday that he still expects his players to join up with the national side on an originally agreed date of May 26.
The IPL was scheduled to finish May 25, but then the deadly conflict between nuclear-armed neighbours India and Pakistan erupted, causing the competition to be suspended last week.
Many overseas players went home and it remains to be seen if all will come back for the decisive stages of the world’s richest cricket tournament.
Australia’s WTC final squad is due to depart for a training camp on May 29.
The country’s cricket authorities have taken a less rigid stance, with captain Pat Cummins among those expected to return to India.
However his Sunrisers Hyderabad side, who also have Travis Head, cannot make the IPL playoffs and will play their final game on May 25.
Australia’s squad also includes Mitchell Starc (Delhi Capitals) and Josh Hazlewood (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), who can both make the playoffs, which begin on May 29.
Delhi Capitals’ Australian batsman Jake Fraser-McGurk opted out of the rest of the tournament citing “personal reasons”.
Fifth-placed Delhi Capitals said in a statement they would replace Fraser-McGurk, who has scored 55 runs in six games after being signed for 90 million Indian rupees ($1.06 million), by bringing in Bangladesh seamer Mustafizur Rahman.
The Capitals are also waiting on the availability of South African pair Faf du Plessis and Tristan Stubbs.
England have five players from their one-day squad in the IPL and are still deciding how to respond to the hastily revamped schedule.
British media reports said English players involved in the league would meet with the Professional Cricketers’ Association before taking a call.
Former captain Jos Buttler plays for table-topping Gujarat Titans, who look certain to advance, while Will Jacks (Mumbai Indians) and Jacob Bethell (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) could also be needed for the play-offs.
Chennai Super Kings’ Jamie Overton is also out with the all-rounder selected by England for their white-ball home series against the West Indies.
England cricket chiefs are keen to show support for the IPL and the Indian cricket board (BCCI) but also want to put out a full-strength team.
South Africa pace bowler Kagiso Rabada, who has just returned from a drugs ban, also plays for Gujarat.
Fellow Proteas Corbin Bosch, Wiaan Mulder, Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Ryan Rickelton and Stubbs may all have to leave before the playoffs because South Africa have a four-day warm-up match against Zimbabwe beginning on June 3.
The players are stuck between their well-paying IPL franchise and their country with the IPL on Wednesday allowing temporary replacements for the remainder of the tournament to allow franchises to fill open spots.
“Given the non-availability of certain foreign players due to national commitments or personal reasons or any injury or illness, Temporary Replacement Players will be allowed until the conclusion of this tournament,” the league said in a memo to franchises.
“This decision is subject to the condition that the Temporary Replacement players taken from this point forward will not be eligible for retention in the following year. Temporary Replacement players will have to register for the IPL Player Auction 2026.”
Published in Dawn, May 15th, 2025
