South African Players to Miss IPL Playoffs for WTC Final Preparation

Eight South African cricketers, set to compete in the ICC World Test Championship final, will miss the IPL playoffs, returning home by May 27. This decision follows negotiations between Cricket South Africa and the IPL, highlighting the importance of the WTC final against Australia. Players like Kagiso Rabada and Aiden Markram will depart early, affecting their teams' playoff chances. The IPL resumes on May 17, with the playoffs starting on May 29. Read on to discover how this impacts the teams and players involved.

By Narendra Chaudhary May 15, 2025, 23:03 IST

South African Players Departing for WTC Final

A total of eight South African cricketers, selected for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) final squad, will be absent from the Indian Premier League (IPL) playoffs, returning to their home country by May 27.

According to reports from ESPNCricinfo, the players include Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans), Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants), Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings), Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals), Lungi Ngidi (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), Wiaan Mulder (Sunrisers Hyderabad), and Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch (both from Mumbai Indians). They are scheduled to fly to the UK on May 30, ahead of a warm-up match against Zimbabwe on June 3, prior to the final at Lord's on June 11.

CSA's Change of Plans

Initially, the Sydney Morning Herald indicated that South African players were expected to remain in the IPL until the tournament concluded, which could have hindered their preparation for the WTC final. The report suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may have influenced this decision.

Enoch Nkwe, CSA's director of cricket, stated, "We are finalizing our plans with the IPL and BCCI, ensuring that our Test players return by May 26 for WTC preparations," as quoted by the Sydney Morning Herald.

However, shortly after, Nkwe revised his statement, indicating that discussions were ongoing at higher levels between CSA, BCCI, and IPL franchises, implying that CSA had limited control over the situation.

"Correction - the squad will resume training for the game on June 3rd," he announced, adding that the focus remains on preparations for the WTC final.

Negotiations for Early Release

Recent updates from ESPNCricinfo reveal that Cricket South Africa (CSA) has successfully negotiated with the IPL for the early release of their players, acknowledging the significance of the upcoming WTC final against Australia.

Players not involved in the WTC final will continue to participate in the IPL until its conclusion on June 3.

The IPL is set to resume on May 17 after a brief suspension due to rising tensions between India and Pakistan, with the match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) and Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) marking the restart. Lungi Ngidi is expected to play if Australian pacer Josh Hazlewood is unable to recover from his shoulder injury.

Impact on IPL Teams

Among the seven teams with players heading to the WTC final, Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) has already been eliminated, while Gujarat Titans (GT) have managed to progress without Kagiso Rabada, who has only played two matches this season.

Mumbai Indians (MI) will feel the impact of losing Ryan Rickelton, their second-highest run-scorer with 336 runs in 12 innings, alongside Corbin Bosch, who has performed well with both bat and ball.

Marco Jansen's exit will be a significant blow to Punjab Kings (PBKS), as they will miss their third-highest wicket-taker, who has claimed 11 wickets in 11 matches. They need to secure two wins in their final three games to reach the playoffs.

For Delhi Capitals (DC), the absence of Tristan Stubbs, a key middle-order batter with 259 runs in 10 innings, complicates their playoff aspirations as they currently sit fifth and require victories to advance.

Aiden Markram's departure from Lucknow Super Giants, where he has scored 348 runs in 11 innings, adds to their challenges as they are in seventh place and must win all remaining matches to have a shot at the playoffs. The league phase concludes on May 27, with playoffs commencing on May 29 and the final scheduled for June 3.