Overseas cricketers from England, Australia and New Zealand will be available for their respective franchises when the remaining 31 matches of this year’s IPL take place in the UAE from September 19 to October 15. It was widely speculated that the foreign stars would not make it to the UAE because of their country’s bilateral commitments.
Personal reasons will, however, keep away Pat Cummins out of Kolkata Knight Riders’ squad, while Rajasthan Royals’ Jos Buttler is also likely to miss the remainder of the tournament since his wife is expecting their second child. Steve Smith and Marcus Stoinis of Delhi Capitals though have confirmed their availability in the UAE.
The same applies for the Mumbai Indians duo of Nathan-Coulter Nile and Chris Lynn, and Glenn Maxwell of Royal Challengers Bangalore.
There is some uncertainty with David Warner’s presence in the Sunrisers Hyderabad ranks and it is expected to be clear in a few days. Sources have told The Telegraph that Cricket Australia has left it to their players to make their respective decisions and most of them are likely to prefer franchise cricket over national commitments.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has softened its hard stand on releasing its players for the rescheduled IPL. Ashley Giles, the managing director of England men’s cricket, was firm that players would not be released.
England were due to play three ODIs and as many T20Is in Bangladesh in September-October, but both the boards have mutually decided to postpone the tour until March 2023. That has opened a window of opportunity for the players. KKR captain Eoin Morgan has already made himself available.
England are scheduled to tour Pakistan for two T20Is on October 14 and 15, but that is unlikely to happen. Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) had tried to host the T20Is in the UAE, but because of the IPL and the T20 World Cup, such plans had to be scrapped.
“When the PCB can’t host the PSL in its own country because of the pandemic, how can it even think that England will tour Pakistan? The only option left is having it in Sri Lanka, which doesn’t seem feasible. Even if the tour does happen, England will have to do without their IPL stars,” sources said.
“Most of the top players want to play the IPL this time because of the T20 World Cup which begins on October 17. It gives them an opportunity to get used to the conditions in time for the showpiece event.”
Cricket West Indies has already said all its players will be released for the IPL, while New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has decided to follow suit despite a clash with the Black Caps’ tour to Pakistan. NZC will do with a second string side in Bangladesh and Pakistan which will be led by Tom Latham.
New Zealand are slated to tour Bangladesh in early September.