With the T20 World Cup looming on the horizon, overseas players have begun to withdraw from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) season to prioritize their national duties. England cricketers have led the exodus, leaving the league to prepare for the ICC tournament starting next month.
Liam Livingstone, Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals), Will Jacks, and Reece Topley (Royal Challengers Bengaluru) have all departed the IPL to join the defending champion England squad ahead of their T20I series against Pakistan, commencing on May 22.
The absence of Livingstone and Buttler was evident in Rajasthan Royals' recent defeat to Punjab Kings, while RCB will also feel the void left by Jacks and Topley in their crucial encounter with Chennai Super Kings on May 18.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan has expressed his displeasure with overseas players leaving the IPL during its crucial stages. "Either be available for the full season or don't come," Pathan stated on social media after the Royals' fourth consecutive loss.
Legendary cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has also called for decisive action from the BCCI and IPL franchises against players and their respective cricket boards for withdrawing from the IPL prematurely.
"I am all for players choosing a country before anything else, but having assured various franchises about their availability for the full season, if they pull out now, it will be letting down the franchises," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid Day.
Gavaskar advocated for measures to hold players and cricket boards accountable for breaching their commitments.
Punjab's stand-in skipper Sam Curran confirmed after Wednesday's game that he and Jonny Bairstow will return home on Thursday, missing their side's final league game of the season.
Tags: #IPL, #T20WorldCup, #OverseasPlayers, #EnglandCricket, #IrfanPathan
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