IPL 2021 is likely to start in the second week of April.
New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has reportedly hinted at allowing the national cricketers to participate in the forthcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 for the entire season even if they miss the end of the New Zealand home season and Test tour of England in June 2021.
New Zealand stars like Kane Williamson and Trent Boult, Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner, and Tim Seifert already have IPL stints, while 20 other Kiwi cricketers have put their names in the hat for the IPL auction 2020 to be held in Chennai on Thursday (February 18).
Before the IPL 2021, New Zealand is set to host Bangladesh in a 6-match white-ball series from March 20 to April 1 and the IPL-bound Black Caps stars might miss the home series with the NZC awaiting the dates for the tournament and MIQ protocols for the T20 event before making any call about the players’ availability for the series, but confirmed they will take “pragmatic approach” regarding the same.
Then, New Zealand and England are slated to play a two-match Test series in June – the first Test from June 2-6 followed by the second and final June 10-14 – which may clash with IPL playoffs this year.
However, the BCCI hasn’t yet announced the schedule for the IPL 2021, but the lucrative T20 tournament is likely to start in the second week of April and the knock-out matches of the league may take place in early June at the various venues across India.
Well, no New Zealand cricketer has ever missed a Test match because of the IPL, but this time it can happen since the two-match Test series against England as it doesn't count towards the World Test Championship final and they have already qualified for the final at Lord’s.
Earlier, it was reported that the New Zealand players might miss the playoff stages of the IPL 2021 due to international commitments, but NZC spokesperson Richard Boock has made it clear that they will be granting No-Objection Certificates to its players for the entire season of the IPL 14.
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Boock told ANI via an email: “Yes, the NOCs would be given and the cricketers would be available for the entire edition.”
On the other hand, NZC chief executive David White also hinted that they will allow the Kiwi players to participate in the final leg of the IPL 2021 even if it clashes with the first Test in England on June 2.
New Zealand Cricket has indicated that it may not block its players from fully participating in the upcoming IPL if the knock-out phase matches of the lucrative league clash with the Test series opener in England beginning on June 2, according to a report.
White told Stuff.co.nz, “NZC will take a pragmatic approach as these fixtures are a late addition to the schedule. We will work through the decision in conjunction with the players.”
He signed off by saying, “We are still awaiting advice as to when the IPL will start and what the MIQ protocols will be - but will take a pragmatic approach in the event of any clash.”
(With PTI Inputs)