IPL 2025: 8 South African players likely to miss playoffs phase as CSA prioritises WTC Final

Eight South African players from IPL 2025 included in Proteas’ WTC Final squad.

Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 will resume on May 17 and witness the remaining 17 games of the tournament. However, some teams are expected to face a big blow as South African players are likely to miss the playoffs phase. Cricket South Africa (CSA) has set May 26 as the deadline for all South African players in the squad to return from IPL 2025.

It is worth noting that, as per the earlier schedule, IPL 2025 was going to conclude on 25 May. However, due to tensions between India and Pakistan in the border regions, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended the tournament for a week on May 9.

Later, BCCI revealed a revised schedule for the tournament. According to the updated IPL 2025 schedule, the final will take place on June 3. The playoffs will begin on May 29, and the league stage will conclude on May 27. A total of 20 players from South Africa are part of IPL 2025.

South African players are likely to miss IPL 2025 playoffs:

The postponement of IPL 2025 games has created a big issue for some South African players who are part of the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final. The ICC WTC 2023-25 final will take place on June 11 between South Africa and Australia in England.

The clash will take place at Lord’s in London. As per CSA’s plan, South African players must reach England by May 31 to begin preparations for the WTC 2023-25 ​​Final. They will also play a warm-up test match against Zimbabwe.

Hence, CSA wants all its players to return from IPL 2025 by the May 26 deadline. Hence, as per reports, the chances of Proteas players missing out on the IPL 2025 playoffs are very high. BCCI and CSA officials are currently in talks on the matter.

A total of eight SA players have been named in the WTC 2023-25 final squad. They 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).

Other Proteas players part of IPL 2025 are Dewald Brevis (CSK), Faf du Plessis and Donovan Ferreira (DC), Gerald Coetzee (GT), Quinton de Kock and Anrich Nortje (KKR), David Miller, Matthew Breetzke (LSG), Nandre Burger, Kwena Maphaka, Lhuan-dre Pretorius (RR), and Heinrich Klaasen (SRH).

Notably, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), Chennai Super Kings (CSK), and Rajasthan Royals (RR) are already eliminated from the playoffs. Hence, foreign players part of these three teams do not need to worry about missing the playoffs. Also, all matches of these three teams will conclude by May 25. Hence, their Proteas members can return to their home country by the May 26 deadline.

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