Aussies get CA’s nod for IPL return

Cricket Australia (CA) has cleared the way for the country’s leading players to return to the rescheduled IPL in the UAE starting next month ahead of the T20 World Cup.

CA has issued NOCs for the players to return to the IPL, while a planned T20 tri-series with Afghanistan and West Indies may be re-purposed as (T20) World Cup warm-ups, according to a report in cricket.au.com.

CA’s clearance came after the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the postponement of a three-match ODI series between the two nations originally planned to be held in India in the lead-up to the T20 World Cup, the report said.

A mooted T20 tri-series also involving the West Indies was due to form an important part of the World Cup preparations for all three squads, and Afghanistan authorities are continuing efforts to secure a venue.

With the initial group stages of the T20 World Cup expected to be played primarily in Oman, the UAE venues could be free to host the matches between the end of the IPL and the start of the World Cup’s Super 12 stage, expected to begin on October 23.

Seven players who participated in the initial stage of this year’s IPL —David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson and Daniel Sams — are now expected to retur.

Pat Cummins said he will miss the IPL reboot due the impending birth of his first child but has committed to Australia’s T20 World Cup tilt.