IPL 2024: Several cricket boards confirm availability of players, ECB keeps conditional approval

In a major development ahead of the IPL auction 2024, several cricket boards have confirmed the availability of their players for the 17th edition of the tournament. Cricket Australia has confirmed that most of their players will be available for the Indian cash-rich tournament, while the England and Wales Cricket board has kept conditions.

According to a report in Cricbuzz, Cricket boards of Australia, South Africa, Afghanistan, New Zealand, and West Indies have said that their players will be available for the tournament, except Australia confirming that Hazlewood would be available for the latter half with doubts over those players playing in the Sheffield Shield final too. Hazlewood was not retained by the Royal Challengers Bangalore as he is going to be at his home to welcome his child at the end of March.

Notably, the report stated that Hazlewood would be available from the first week of May. Cricket Australia stated that except for Hazlewood and the ones featuring in the Sheffield Shield final, all the players would be fully available. However, it added that the Australian players will have the option to choose between the IPL and the final of their domestic tournament. 

The Indian Premier League window is from March 22 till the end of May with the exact dates yet to be finalised due to the upcoming elections in India. The Sheffield Shield final will take place from March 21 to March 25.

Notably, the England and Wales Cricket Board has stated that their players can play the IPL unless they are unfit or have International responsibilities. They can play in



the Indian cash-rich league but their participation is subject to the upcoming summer of ECB. Notably, Rehan Ahmed has withdrawn from IPL.

"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 its 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," BCCI wrote to the franchises as quoted by Cricbuzz.

Notably, Bangladesh Cricket Board, Cricket Ireland and Sri Lanka Cricket have also reportedly given conditional approval. BCB stated that Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam will not be available for IPL 2024, while Mustafizur Rahman will be allowed to play from March 22 to May 11. Bangladesh have a Test series against Sri Lanka from March 30 to April 3. "Taskin Ahmed and Md. Shoriful Islam, who have been listed for the auction, will not be available for the IPL 2024 edition," BCB told BCCI. Sri Lanka's second and final Test against Bangladesh from March 30 to April 3 puts doubt on the availability of a few players. However as Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dushmantha Chameera do not play the Tests, they can participate in IPL. Players from the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), Cricket West Indies (CWI), Cricket South Africa (CSA), New Zealand Cricket (NZC) and Zimbabwe Cricket will be available for the complete tournament.