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Updated May 11th, 2021 at 10:40 IST

IPL 2021 to be re-scheduled without England players? ECB gives major hint

BCCI sources have stated that IPL 2021 could be re-scheduled in September if the country's COVID-19 situation is brought under control.

Reported by: Ananya Varma
Eoin Morgan
Image- PTI | Image:self
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With England's future schedule 'extremely busy', players are likely to miss the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 season whenever it is rearranged, said managing director of England men's team Ashley Giles. Sharing that England was looking forward to the T20 World Cup and the Ashes, Giles asserted that it was the ECB's priority was to look after their players given the ambiguity surrounding the rearranged IPL series. 

"None of us knows what a rearranged IPL looks like at the moment; where it's going to be or when. But from when we start this summer against New Zealand, our programme is incredibly busy. We've got a lot of important, high-profile cricket including the T20 World Cup and the Ashes. And we're going to have to look after our players," he stated.

Ashley Giles also elaborated on England's upcoming schedule sharing that the team had a full Future Tour Programme (FTP) schedule. Notably, India and England are also slated to lock horns in a five-match Test series in the UK from August this year.

"We're planning on the involvement of England players in England matches. We've got a full FTP schedule. So if those tours to Pakistan and Bangladesh [in September and October] are going ahead, I'd expect the players to be there," ESPNcricinfo quoted Giles as saying.

"The New Zealand scenario was very different. Those Test matches were formalised at the end of January, by which time all those contracts and NOCs [no objection certificates] were signed for full involvement in the IPL," he further said.

IPL 2021 to be held in September?

Meanwhile, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) sources have stated that IPL 2021 could be re-scheduled in September if the country's COVID-19 situation is brought under control. "If the COVID-19 situation is under control in September, the 14th edition of the league can be completed. However, any rescheduling of the IPL 2021 is likely to clash with the series in the Future Tours Programme (FTP)," the BCCI source told news agency ANI.

Even though the IPL 2021 season was played behind closed doors, the tournament failed to keep its bio-bubble intact for too long with several players and support staff of various teams testing positive for COVID-19 leading to the suspension of the league.

(With Agency Inputs) 

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Published May 11th, 2021 at 10:40 IST

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