Sri Lankan Players Allowed to Participate in IPL 2023 Despite Missing Opening Matches
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has denied media reports suggesting its players are facing a potential IPL auction ban following their unavailability for the first few matches of the latest season of the T20 league slated to get underway from March 31.
Three Sri Lankan cricketers including Wanindu Hasaranga (Royal Challengers Bangalore), Maheeh Theekshana and Matheesha Pathirana (both Chennai Super Kings) will be busy with national duty and therefore won’t be a part of their corresponding IPL franchises few opening matches of IPL 2023.
Sri Lanka are currently in New Zealand for the limited overs leg of their tour which concludes on April 8 with the T20I series. As per reports in the Sri Lankan media, the BCCI was reportedly unhappy with the development and that there would be potential consequences.
A total of four Sri Lankan players will feature in this year’s IPL but only Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Punjab Kings) is available for the entire season. As per a report in Sri Lanka’s media, the SLC has issued NOCs to its IPL bound stars while rejecting any displeasure from the part of BCCI. “We have issued the players with no objection certificates to go for the IPL after the New Zealand tour, and the BCCI have accepted it. They have not expressed any sort of displeasure in the players being unavailable for the opening few matches," the publication quote an SLC official as saying.
A host of South Africa stars are also going to miss the first few matches of IPL 2023 as well including the likes of David Miller, Kagiso Rabada, Quinton de Kock, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi. South Africa are scheduled to host Netherlands for two ODIs to be played on March 31 and April 2. Bangladesh left arm pacer Mustafizur Rahman, who represents Delhi Capitals, will also expected to miss the start of the season
