IPL 2025 Expansion Hits Snag as CSA Demands Player Return
Cricket South Africa has ordered its players to return by May 26 despite the change in the IPL 2025 schedule. The BCCI had planned that all foreign players stay in the league till June 3, but CSA is firm on its stance. Talks between the two boards are ongoing, but South Africa has asked its players to be ready for the WTC final.
The India-Pakistan dispute has caused a lot of trouble for the franchises due to the postponement of the IPL 2025 season. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has sent a message to all players to return to the country to restart the league, but Cricket South Africa has asked its players to return to the country by May 26, as was the initial agreement when the IPL final will be held on May 25. Although talks are still going on between the two heads of the board, CSA is adamant on its stance.
Players like Corbin Bosch (Mumbai Indians), Wiaan Mulder (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings), Aiden Markram (Lucknow Supergiants), Lungi Ngidi (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans), Ryan Rickelton (Mumbai Indians) and Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals) have been included in South Africa's WTC final squad announced on May 13.
As per the initial agreement, the BCCI was supposed to release all the foreign players on May 26. But as per the revised schedule, the league stage of the tournament will not end before May 27, while the final is on June 3.
"The initial agreement with the IPL and the BCCI was that the final will be held on May 25, our players will return on the 26th, so that they have enough time before we leave on the 30th," South Africa head coach Shukri Conrad said on Tuesday. Nothing has changed from our point of view. "
"It's a conversation going on between high-paid people from me, like the Director of Cricket, Enoch Nkwe, and Foletzi Mossack (CSA CEO), so they're dealing with it. But as it stands now, I don't think we're going to back down. We want our players back on the 26th, and hopefully it will be successful. "