Thu May 15 05:30:03 UTC 2025: ## IPL Boost: South Africa Delays WTC Prep, Allowing Players to Finish Tournament

**Johannesburg, South Africa** – Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises have received a significant boost as Cricket South Africa (CSA) has backtracked on its initial plans to have all players return home by May 26th for World Test Championship (WTC) Final preparations. The team will now begin training on June 3rd, allowing South African stars to complete their IPL commitments.

This decision reverses CSA’s earlier stance, which stipulated players involved in the WTC Final against Australia would need to return to South Africa well before the IPL final on June 3rd. According to the Sydney Morning Herald, CSA Director of Cricket Enoch Nkwe stated the matter was being discussed “higher up” within the organization.

The move benefits several prominent South African cricketers currently participating in the IPL, including Kagiso Rabada (Gujarat Titans), Lungi Ngidi (Royal Challengers Bengaluru), Aiden Markram (Lucknow Super Giants), Marco Jansen (Punjab Kings), and Tristan Stubbs (Delhi Capitals). The change in schedule allows these players, along with Ryan Rickelton (Mumbai Indians), Corbin Bosch (Mumbai Indians), and Wiaan Mulder (Sunrisers Hyderabad), to fully participate in the lucrative tournament.

The alteration to the preparation schedule may impact South Africa’s planned warm-up match against Zimbabwe scheduled for June 3rd, with the possibility of cancellation or rescheduling. While the initial plan was for all overseas players to be released from the IPL by May 26th, even the league stage is scheduled to continue after that date, with the final on June 3rd.

The news comes as a welcome relief for IPL teams who were facing the prospect of losing key players during the crucial final stages of the tournament.

Read More