New Delhi: The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and IPL franchises have increased pressure on overseas cricket boards to ensure that their players return for IPL 2025’s resumption on May 17, amidst security and safety concerns in the aftermath of the India-Pakistan military conflict.
The BCCI has instructed IPL COO Hemang Amin to individually speak to top boards, including Cricket Australia and England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), to allay the fears of the players hesitant in returning to India.
All 10 franchises are in a fix over the arrival of their overseas recruits, a day after the IPL announced the revised schedule after getting necessary security clearances from the government.
The world’s most lucrative T20 league was suspended for a week on May 9 due to an India-Pakistan military conflict, triggered by the April 22 terrorist attack in Pahalgam. A day after the suspension, a ceasefire between the two countries was announced, ending the uncertainty surrounding IPL’s resumption.
“We have been speaking to the foreign boards individually while players are directly dealing with their players. We expect majority of them to return,” a BCCI official told PTI on Tuesday.
CA has left it to the will of the players to decide on their return to India.
Franchise officials, including CSK CEO Kasi Viswanathan, have informed PTI that some of the foreign players are circumspect about returning, but most of them are likely to come back before the tournament resumes.
“The revised scheduled was announced last night. We have just started contacting our foreign players over their availability. We will have a clearer picture by tomorrow morning. Anyway our game is on May 20. We have enough time,” said Viswanathan.
CSK’s overseas players include Devon Conway, Rachin Ravindra, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton, Noor Ahmad and Matheesha Pathirana.
Stoinis unlikely to return; Cummins set to come back
Aussie duo Marcus Stoinis and Josh Inglis, who represent Punjab Kings, may not return to India despite the best efforts of head coach and compatriot Ricky Ponting.
However, fellow Aussies Xavier Bartlett and Aaron Hardie, Afghanistan’s Azmatullah Omarzai and South African Marco Jansen are set to return.
The team is eyeing its first play-off qualification since 2014.
The match between Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals was halted midway due to escalating tensions. The players then made a rather anxious road and train journey from Dharamsala to Delhi after the May 8 game was cancelled.
“The foreign players were scared at that time and understandably so. The BCCI showed the safety of the players is paramount by ensuring they all got back home safely.
“Now the situation has got better, the players should return. However, some of them still remain on the edge,” said an IPL official.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, who have been eliminated from the competition, is expecting captain Pat Cummins and Travis Head to return for the remaining three league games.
“We are confident that majority of foreign players will return including the captain,” said a team official.
Delhi Capitals, who are one of the contenders for the top-four spot, got in touch with their overseas players on Tuesday morning. Australian pacer Mitchell Starc is one of the key players for the Capitals.
“We hope that all of them return. We will know more by tomorrow,” said a team official.
The IPL final, originally scheduled for May 25, will now conclude on June 3 with Ahmedabad’s Narendra Modi Staidum likely to host the final.
According to franchise officials, some of the foreign players are circumspect about returning, but most of them are likely to come back before the tournament resumes. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
