IPL 2025: The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 playoffs are probably going to be missed by South African players who were chosen for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia since the nation’s cricket body is adamant about putting national commitment ahead of league duties.

The IPL 2025 will continue on May 17 with the final scheduled for June 3, the BCCI stated on Monday.

Players from South Africa and Australia, the WTC finalists, are in a difficult situation as a result of the altered schedule. Foreign boards have been requested by the franchises and the BCCI to make their players accessible for the rest of the competition.

But CSA has reaffirmed its commitment to WTC Final preparations.

“Obviously, the choice to go back, play, or continue is a personal one. CSA’s director of national teams and high performance, Enoch Nkwe, said at a press conference, “We are finalizing this with the IPL and the BCCI, but one thing we’ve made clear is sticking to our original plan when it comes to the WTC preparations.”

“The Test men won’t return until at least May 26. The WTC final remains the first priority, thus the original plans remain unchanged. Over the last day or two, we’ve been communicating with them to make sure everyone is in agreement,” he said.

The Proteas squad for the WTC Final, which will begin on June 11 in London, includes eight South African players: Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans), Lungi Ngidi (Royal Chalengers Bengaluru), Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals), Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants), Ryan Rickelton (Mumbai Indians), Corbin Bosch (MI), Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings), and Wiaan Mulder (Sunrisers Hyderabad).

GT, RCB, MI, PBKS, DC, and LSG are currently vying for a position in the IPL playoffs. Shukri Conrad, the head coach of South Africa, repeated the position of the CSA.

“We originally agreed with the IPL-BCCI that our players would return on the 26th, with the final scheduled for the 25th, to give them enough time before our flight on the 30th. We’re not going to back down on this as it is. On the 26th, we want our guys back,” he said.

“That refers to the continuous discussions between individuals at a higher pay grade than myself. That’s what they’re dealing with. Hopefully, our goal of having our players return on the 26th is realized.

The April 22 terrorist incident in Pahalgam, South Kashmir, set up a military conflict between India and Pakistan, which resulted in the May 9 suspension of the Indian Premier League. The competition was able to resume once a truce was declared the next day.

The league stage concludes on May 27, and the playoffs run from May 29 to June 3, which coincides with CSA’s WTC preparations, according to the revised timetable.

Cricket Australia has given its players the freedom to make their own decisions, despite CSA’s firm stance, while the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is scheduled to examine its No Objection Certificates (NOCs).

Temba Bavuma, captain; David Bedingham; Corbin Bosch; Tony de Zorzi; Marco Jansen; Keshav Maharaj; Aiden Markram; Wiaan Mulder; Senuran Muthusamy; Lungi Ngidi; Dane Paterson; Kagiso Rabada; Ryan Rickelton; Tristan Stubbs; and Kyle Verreynne comprise the final squad of the South African WTC.