Next year, two major tournaments World Cup 2019 and the Indian Premier League (IPL) season 12 will follow each other with a gap of almost a week. That’s where the other international players are facing a dilemma. The IPL last for more than 50 days which drain out the players and hence, it will be difficult for them to stay fresh for the World Cup. Hence Cricket Australia (CA) has decided to set the priorities straight and keep its players out of the IPL for the later stages.
The board will thus want the Australian players, who will be a part of the World Cup squad to walk out of the IPL sooner. CA has issued guidelines asking its cricketers to make sure Sheffield Shield, their domestic first-class tournament is a priority. Also, the World Cup squad will have to report in time for the training camp which is scheduled to take place in early May as well as the warm-up matches before the start of the main tournament.
It has also mentioned that the players picked by IPL squads will get a No Objection Certificate (NOC) once the last round of the Sheffield Shield ends and those a part of the final will get it after the game. The Australian team will also be playing an ODI series against Pakistan around that time and those with that squad can join IPL franchises after the end of the tour.
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Describing the same, Cricket Australia’s Interim EGM Team Performance, Belinda Clark said, “It is a difficult period with the IPL being brought forward to accommodate the Cricket World Cup, and overlapping our domestic season. We are committed to respecting the position of the Sheffield Shield, while ensuring Australia’s World Cup squad is well prepared for this critical world event, while also ensuring those that are fit to play have the opportunity to participate in the IPL.”
They wanted to give the players clarity about the scheduling in advance and the fate of their applications will be determined on a case by case basis.
Explaining it further, Clark said, “We will, as always, assess applications on a case by case basis but it is important the players understand our position in advance, so they have the clarity they need to make personal decisions. It is imperative that we ensure Australia is in the best possible position as we head into the Cricket World Cup and the 2019 Ashes series. This means prioritizing our focus on match readiness and the health of our players.”
