IPL 2024: South Africa, West Indies and New Zealand confirm full participation; limited availabi...
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided that the official window for the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be from March 22 till the end of May. Finalizing the exact dates is pending due to the upcoming general elections in the country next summer, with the schedule contingent on the election program.
Based on this information conveyed to the franchises ahead of the IPL auction in Dubai on Tuesday (December 19), the Australian, South African, Afghanistan, New Zealand, and West Indies boards have made their players available fully, with minor or no riders. However, England, Ireland, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh boards have given conditional approval.
Most Australian players will be available for the IPL, except Josh Hazlewood, who will participate in the league only from the first week of May. Cricket Australia (CA) has informed the BCCI that its players will be fully available, except for Hazlewood, and those playing in the final of the Sheffield Shield. The CA has assured the BCCI that all players will be available unless injured. Regarding the Sheffield Shield final, players have the option to choose IPL over the domestic event, which takes place from March 21 to 25.
The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has said its players can participate in the league unless unfit or have international duties. The availability of English players is subject to the ECB’s summer international program surrounding the Twenty20 World Cup, which is yet to be finalized. Rehan Ahmed has withdrawn from the auction. The Twenty20 World Cup is from June 4 to 30 in the Caribbean and the US.
The BCCI communication to the teams on the status of the English player states: “ECB is prepared to make their players available for the duration of the Tournament, subject to fitness and international duty, and any periods of unavailability that players submitted on their auction applications. ECB are still in the process of finalising their schedule for the World T20 in June and if any individual players require specific management in the build-up to the World T20, Rob Key will liaise directly with the player and his franchise to make the necessary arrangements.”
Elsewhere, the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Cricket Ireland (CI) have made their players available only partially, but special permissions have been granted to Mustafizur Rahman and Joshua Little. While the Ireland pacer has been permitted to take part in the league fully, the BCB has stated that Rahman can participate in the league from March 22 to May 11.
Sri Lanka has the scheduled second (and last) Test against Bangladesh from March 30 to April 3, which raises questions about the availability of some Sri Lankan players. However, Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dushmantha Chameera will be available for the full duration of the IPL, as they do not participate in the Test format.
The BCB has also informed the BCCI that “Taskin Ahmed and Md. Shoriful Islam, who have been listed for the auction, will not be available for the IPL 2024 edition.” Only three Bangladesh players (including Rahman) had featured in the auction register from Bangladesh.
Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), Cricket West Indies (CWI), Cricket South Africa (CSA), New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) have informed the BCCI that their players will be available for the entire duration of the IPL.
