IPL 2021 dates not out yet, Pak series could clash to save South African cricket: G Smith

After the cancellation of their series with Australia, South Africa's next major home assignment is their limited-overs series with Pakistan. The two cricketing nations are scheduled to battle it out in three ODI matches and four T20I encounters in April. While the IPL dates are not officially out, the competition also is likely to commence somewhere in the same month. This is why uncertainty looms over the participation of South African players in the cash-rich league.

South Africa vs Pakistan series could clash with IPL 2021

The scheduled series with Pakistan is of utmost importance for South Africa, after Cricket Australia's decision of postponing their tour to the country. Moreover, the four-match T20I series also is monumental for the nation in terms of their preparation for the upcoming ICC T20 World Cup. The possibility of the series clashing with the Indian Premier League could have a significant impact on the plans.

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South Africa's national director of cricket, Graeme Smith, in a media interaction, hinted that it is imperative for top cricketers to give priority to the Pakistan tour, although it could lead to the players missing a major chunk of the IPL. While the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is yet to announce the IPL dates, South Africa's Pakistan series will commence from April 2. Moreover, this latest development could have an impact on the demands of the Protea players in the forthcoming IPL auction. 

While Smith acknowledged that the situation is far from ideal, it will be debated soon amongst CSA officials before coming up with a decision whether to play a second-string team against Pakistan at home. The former South African captain insisted that the tour will be conducted solely to save South Africa's home season. Due to COVID-19, no team has toured the country, which has resulted in huge losses for the board and should the Pakistan series not have top players participating, it could question the future of cricket in South Africa in general. Smith conceded that due to Australia backing out virtually at the 11th hour, relations between the two countries have soured and he is working upon rescheduling the tour for perhaps later this year.

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IPL auction 2021 date and time 

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had announced on January 27 that the forthcoming IPL 2021 auction will take place in Chennai after the completion of the second Test match between India and England. It was confirmed on the Indian Premier League's social media account that the auction will take place on February 18. According to the Star Sports Network, the live telecast of the program will begin at 2 PM (IST) while the auction will begin from 3 PM (IST) onwards.

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IPL auction live streaming in India 

292 cricketers will go under the hammer in the mini auction. Fans in Indian can tune in to the Star Sports Network to catch the live telecast of the program. The IPL auction live streaming will also be made available on the Disney+ Hotstar app and website, as well as on JioTV.

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Check out the IPL auction 2021 new list of players here 

Image source: IPL Twitter