England players who are participating in the ongoing IPL 2024, might or might not play in the playoffs stage of the tournament as it clashed with England’s T20I series against Pakistan at home.
Before the T20 World Cup, England will face Pakistan in a series of 4 T20Is, which will begin on May 22. This means several of the England players who are currently in India for the ongoing IPL 2024 will have to leave the IPL before the playoffs which begin on May 21.
This was stated by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) in a statement when they announced the provisionary squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 and the Pakistan T20I series.
“Selected players, currently playing in the Indian Premier League, will return in time for the series against Pakistan, which gets underway at Headingley on Wednesday 22 May 2024. The World Cup squad will fly to the Caribbean on 31 May ahead of England’s opening group match against Scotland at the Kensington Oval, Barbados, on Wednesday 4 June,” ECB stated.
This meant England players such as Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Phil Salt and Reece Topley might not be available for the IPL 2024 playoffs.
The playoffs of the IPL 2024 will be played on May 21, 22, and 24, with the final scheduled for May 26.
Jos Buttler behind ECB’s decision to withdraw England players ahead of IPL 2024 playoffs
A few days ago, England’s managing director, Rob Key, disclosed that their white-ball captain, Jos Buttler, had urged for English players to withdraw from the Indian Premier League play-offs ahead of the T20 World Cup.
Butler’s decision, however, has irritated the franchises, who are upset because, before the IPL auction on December 19, last year, the English Cricket Board assured the availability of their players for the entire competition.
It is not definite if England’s white-ball players, who are set to feature in the next T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies in June, will not be available for the IPL playoffs, as negotiations are ongoing between the BCCI and the ECB to assure their availability at a critical stage of the league.
“The franchises are in no mood to release their England players at this stage of the tournament, as they had planned accordingly at the auction. Talks are on between the BCCI and the ECB to resolve this issue. Yes, the BCCI has taken it up (with the ECB). I hope the ECB keep their commitment they made before the auction. This type of adhoc withdrawal of players will come with consequences,” Times of India reported.
The IPL play-offs are scheduled to be held from May 21 – May 26.
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