Before the IPL 2024 auction, numerous nations have given their assurance that their players will be actively involved throughout the entire tournament.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is gearing up for the forthcoming IPL 2024 season. Anticipated to kick off in late March and culminate in the final week of May, the IPL 2023 season shared the same timeframe. In 2023, the tournament commenced on March 31st, with the final showdown taking place on May 29th at the Narendra Modi International Cricket Stadium in Ahmedabad.
For IPL 2024, BCCI has officially earmarked the window from March 22nd to the end of May. The league’s schedule hinges on the Election Commission of India’s announcement of the 18th Lok Sabha Election dates. BCCI will unveil the IPL 2024 schedule once the Election Commission declares the polling dates for the General Elections 2024. The electoral process is expected to kick off in the last week of March, with the results slated for announcement in May 2024.
As the IPL 2024 auction approaches, several nations, including Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB), Cricket West Indies (CWI), Cricket South Africa (CSA), New Zealand Cricket (NZC), and Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), have confirmed the full involvement of their players throughout the entire tournament. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) plans to host the 17th edition from March 22 to the end of May, pending the finalization of dates due to the upcoming general elections in 2024. The schedule is contingent on the election timetable. While most cricket boards have given the green light for their players’ complete participation, England, Ireland, Sri Lanka, and Bangladesh have provided conditional approval.
As per the latest update on Cricbuzz, the majority of Australian players are set to participate in the upcoming IPL, with the exception of fast bowler Josh Hazlewood, who is slated to join the league in the first week of May. Cricket Australia has communicated to the BCCI that their players will be fully available for the entire tournament, except Hazlewood and those involved in the Sheffield Shield final.
Interestingly, CA has granted players the flexibility to prioritize the IPL over the Sheffield Shield final, which is scheduled from March 21 to 25. Additionally, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has affirmed the availability of all its players, barring any fitness issues or international commitments.
Meanwhile, there’s news from the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Cricket Ireland (CI) about certain players being partially unavailable, with special permissions granted for Mustafizur Rahman and Joshua Little. Little is set to be on board for the entire tournament, whereas Rahman’s availability is from March 22 to May 11. Regrettably, Taskin Ahmed and Md. Shoriful Islam won’t be part of the auction from the Bangladesh contingent.
Adding to the mix, Sri Lanka is slated to play their second Test against Bangladesh from March 30 to April 3, leading to the unavailability of some of their players during that period. Nonetheless, those not involved in Tests—Maheesh Theekshana, Wanindu Hasaranga, Matheesha Pathirana, and Dushmantha Chameera—are confirmed participants for the entire tournament.
The upcoming IPL auction for 2024 is set to make history by being held in Dubai on Tuesday, December 19, 2023, marking the first time the event will take place at a foreign venue. In contrast, the previous IPL auction in 2023 was hosted in Kochi. A total of 333 players will be up for grabs in the IPL 2024 auction, and the league’s governing council has decided to boost the purse to 100 Crore INR, anticipating some high-profile and expensive signings during the mini-auction.
