England Players to Miss IPL Playoffs for World Cup Preparation
In a major blow to the Indian Premier League (IPL), especially the Rajasthan Royals, England’s national team players will not be participating in the playoffs of the 2024 edition of the tournament. The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) confirmed the decision on Tuesday, April 30th, citing the team’s preparation for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The ECB announced the 15-member squad for the World Cup, which includes the same players who will participate in a four-match T20I series against Pakistan starting on May 22nd. The IPL playoffs begin on May 21st, which means eight players across five franchises will not be available for their respective teams in the knockout phase.
Among the affected teams, Rajasthan Royals are particularly impacted by the absence of Jos Buttler, their star opening batter. Buttler has amassed 319 runs in IPL 2024, including two match-winning centuries while chasing. Rajasthan are currently poised to qualify for the playoffs after winning eight of their nine matches so far.
Other teams that will miss out on English players include Punjab Kings, who will be without Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, and Liam Livingstone; Royal Challengers Bangalore, who will miss Will Jacks and Reece Topley if they qualify for the playoffs; Kolkata Knight Riders, who will be without Phil Salt, the leading overseas run-scorer in the IPL with 398 runs in nine matches; and Chennai Super Kings, who will be without Moeen Ali.
The absence of these English players is expected to have a significant impact on the IPL playoffs. Teams will need to adjust their strategies and potentially rely on other players to fill the void left by some of the tournament’s top performers.
