Cricket South Africa (CSA) has issued a notice for its players participating in IPL 2025 to return home by May 26, ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final scheduled at Lord’s from June 11. While 20 South Africans are featuring in this year’s IPL, eight have been named in the WTC final squad, prompting CSA to initiate discussions with the BCCI and IPL franchises.
“The initial agreement with the IPL and the BCCI was with the final being on the (May) 25th, our players would return on the 26th so that it allows them ample time before we fly out on the 30th. Nothing has changed from our perspective,” said Proteas head coach Shukri Conrad on Tuesday (May 13).
“That is the ongoing conversation that is being had between people in a higher pay grade than I am, i.e. the Director of Cricket (Enoch Nkwe) and Pholetsi Moseki (CSA CEO), so they’re dealing with that. But as it stands, we’re not budging on that, I don’t think. We want our players back on the 26th, and hopefully that comes to fruition,” Conrad added.
“We are still in discussions with IPL & BCCI.” – CSA Director of Cricket Enoch Nkwe
The players named in the WTC final squad are: Corbin Bosch (MI), Wiaan Mulder (SRH), Marco Jansen (PBKS), Aiden Markram (LSG), Lungi Ngidi (RCB), Kagiso Rabada (GT), Ryan Rickelton (MI), and Tristan Stubbs (DC).
With SRH out of the playoff race and their final game against KKR set for May 25, Mulder is likely to return on schedule. The same could apply to LSG players, though their playoff chances remain slim, with their final match scheduled on May 27 against RCB.
CSA Director of Cricket Enoch Nkwe, while speaking to Cricbuzz, confirmed, “We are still in discussions with IPL & BCCI.” The players are expected to assemble in Arundel, England, on May 31, and will play a warm-up match against Zimbabwe from June 3-6, before moving to London on June 7.
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