WTC Final-Bound South Africa Players’ IPL 2025 Future Revealed

The eight South African players, who are part of the World Test Championship (WTC) 2023-25 final against Australia at the Lord’s in London, won’t stay in India for the IPL 2025 playoffs

All the Proteas players will return home by May 27 as they will arrive in England on May 31 before facing Zimbabwe in a four-day warm-up fixture in Arundel from June 03, the day of the final of the 20-over franchise tournament.

South Africa’s WTC final-bound players to miss IPL 2025 playoffs

The eight-players are Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans), Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants), Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings), Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals), Lungi Ngidi (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), Wiaan Mulder (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Ryan Rickelton and Corbin Bosch (both Mumbai Indians).

However, recent reports have claimed that Cricket South Africa (CSA) has concluded negotiations with the IPL governing party about the early release of the eight members.

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The WTC final will be a huge occasion for the Proteas, which will take place on June 11 at Lord’s against Australia. Meanwhile, the rest of the players of the Rainbow Nation, who are not part of the final, can stay in India until the conclusion of the league.

The National coach, Shukri Conrad, and the director of the national teams’ high performance, Enoch Nkwe, confirmed the deadline.

“This initial agreement with IPL-BCCI was, with the final being on the 25th, our players would return on the 26th, so that it allows them ample time before we fly out on the 30th.” Conrad expressed himself during the unveiling of the squad in Johannesburg.

“That is the ongoing conversation that is being had between people in a higher pay grade than I am - the director of cricket [Nkwe] and Pholetsi [Moselki, the CSA chief executive]. They're dealing with that. We want our players back on the 26th, and hopefully that comes to fruition.” He added.

West Indies players to be available for the entire IPL 2025

Along with the Protea players, the reports have also confirmed that the West Indies players will be available for the tournament throughout. They have a three-match ODI series against Ireland, starting on May 21, just four days after the start of the IPL 2025.

Even though Romario Shepherd and Sherfane Rutherford are part of the series, they won’t leave the IPL playoffs, which is good news for both the Royal Challengers Bengaluru and the Gujarat Titans.

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Apart from these, a few of the other players are also going to miss the IPL restart, including Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc. Meanwhile, both Pat Cummins and Travis Head will return for Sunrisers Hyderabad, while Gujarat has replaced Jos Buttler with Kusal Mendis for the playoffs.

South African and West Indies players’ contribution to the IPL 2025

Ryan Rickelton is the most important foreign member of the Proteas side in the Mumbai Indians. The right-handed batter has clubbed 336 runs in 12 innings at an average of 30.54 and a strike rate of over 150, shouldering three half-centuries at the best score of unbeaten 62 runs.

Tristan Stubbs is another vital member for Delhi, smashing 259 runs in 10 innings at a strike rate of over 150, thanks to the best score of an unbeaten 41 runs.

In Bosch and Rickelton’s absence, Mumbai will need to tweak the combination a little besides finding a replacement for the wicket-keeper. Corbin Bosch also played the last few games for them. They will try to find the best replacement available for the playoffs.