Cricket Australia has announced that their players will not be available to play the entire 12th season of the Indian Premier League, with a World Cup preparation camp scheduled for early May.
IPL 2019 is expected to start earlier than previous seasons, so the league can wrap up in time for the players to return to national camps ahead of the 30 May opening fixture of the ICC World Cup in England.
According to latest reports, the IPL Governing Council is looking at a 23 March start, with the final on 19 May.
Pakistan Series Clashing With Start of IPL
Not just the last 2-3 weeks of the IPL, Australian cricketers could also miss some of the opening fixtures with an ODI series against Pakistan scheduled from 15 March to 29 March.
The IPL usually starts in April and international calendars have been planned accordingly but with the World Cup this summer, scheduling has emerged as one of the biggest challenges for the league run by Rajeev Shukla.
For cricket boards, player fatigue is a major factor being considered with not just Cricket Australia but the English Cricket Board also expected to call their players back early.
Already, Aussie pacer Mitchell Starc has lost his contract with KKR, released of his Rs 9.8 crore contract.
New Zealand Cricket, however, has decided to let their players continue through the entire season.
Players Needed Back Early for WC Preps
IPL 2019, as per its original schedule, is slated to end on 19 May – just 10 days ahead of the start of the World Cup in England. Even if IPL bosses are to prepone the start of the season, it appears implausible that the 12th edition would finish any time sooner than the second week of May.
With pre-World Cup camps and match-readiness top priorities, Cricket Australia’s stance on IPL participation is amply clear.
It is imperative that we ensure Australia is in the best possible position as we head into the Cricket World Cup and the 2019 Ashes series. This means prioritising our focus on match readiness and the health of our players.Belinda Clark, Cricket Australia’s Interim EGM Team Performance
Given Australia’s woeful run of form in ODIs in 2018 – their worst-ever year in the 50-over game – it comes as no surprise that CA is unwilling to compromise on their preparation for their title defense in England.
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