South Africa Backtracks on WTC Final Plan, IPL 2025 Franchises Breathe Sigh of Relief

May 15, 2025: In a major development that comes as a huge relief for IPL franchises, Cricket South Africa (CSA) has revised its preparation schedule for the World Test Championship (WTC) Final against Australia, allowing key South African players to continue playing in the Indian Premier League 2025.

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Initially, CSA had directed all South African players to return home by May 26 to begin training ahead of the WTC Final. However, in a significant update, CSA’s Director of Cricket Enoch Nkwe confirmed that training will now begin on June 3, effectively allowing South African players to remain with their IPL teams through the tournament’s final stages.

“Correction – the squad will resume training for the game on June 3rd. The matter is being discussed higher up than me. At ground level, we are focusing on preps for the WTC final,” Nkwe told the Sydney Morning Herald.

South African Players Available for Full IPL Season

This revision means that eight South African cricketers named in the WTC Final squad can now participate in the IPL uninterrupted, even as the league resumes on May 17 after a one-week suspension due to India-Pakistan border tensions.

The South African players in the WTC Final squad and their IPL teams include:

• Kagiso Rabada – Gujarat Titans
• Lungi Ngidi – Royal Challengers Bengaluru
• Tristan Stubbs – Delhi Capitals
• Aiden Markram – Lucknow Super Giants
• Marco Jansen – Punjab Kings
• Ryan Rickelton – Mumbai Indians
• Corbin Bosch – Mumbai Indians
• Wiaan Mulder – Sunrisers Hyderabad

Warm-up Game Uncertain

South Africa was scheduled to play a warm-up match against Zimbabwe on June 3, but with the training camp now starting on the same day, the fixture may be revised or canceled. This further reinforces CSA’s flexibility in accommodating IPL commitments.

Initially, the BCCI had planned to release overseas players, including South Africans, by May 26, but the IPL league stage itself now stretches to May 27, with the final slated for June 3.

While CSA had earlier stressed adherence to their original May 26 return plan, the shift marks a cooperative understanding between CSA, BCCI, and IPL franchises, balancing national duties and league commitments in a packed cricket calendar.