The England Cricket Board (ECB) had come under fire after they pulled their players competing in the ongoing IPL 2024 season to return home. The move has attracted a lot of criticism as unlike other boards, they pulled their players ahead of the critical playoff stage. England players returned home to take part in a T20I series against Pakistan in preparation for the T20 World Cup. However, the move has been criticized by the players and pundits. Pakistan put up a subpar showcase against England. Former ENG cricketer Michael Vaughan believes the players would have been better off playing the IPL 2024 season instead of coming back. 

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Michael Vaughan claims IPL would have been better for England players in terms of pressure

Leading players from England, including captain Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, and Will Jacks, were among those summoned home by the ECB. This decision drew stern reproach from several former Indian cricket players, including Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan. Former captain Michael Vaughan believes England lost out on a chance for the players to get the experience the pressure scenarios of the playoffs.

"They (ECB) have missed the trick by sending all their players home. Will Jacks, Phil Salt, (and) Jos Buttler in particular, playing in the IPL in the Eliminations pressure, crowd expectation, I would argue that playing here (IPL) is better preparation than playing a T20 game against Pakistan.

"I just felt particularly those two (Salt and Jacks) and Buttler probably not as much, but I still think he could have stayed here. But Will Jacks and Phil Salt, they would have been better prepared (for T20 WC) staying here playing in the IPL than going back to Headingley to play a game," Michael Vaughan said during an appearance at the Club Prairie Fire podcast.

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Vaughan went on to say that his opinions did not offend Pakistan or England. Rather, he was merely saying that the Indian Premier League's standards are probably higher.

May 22 saw the abandonment of the bilateral white-ball series match in Headingley as the rain shower did not allow a single ball to be bowled. On Saturday, England defeated Babar Azam's team by a margin of 23 runs in the second match.