Aussie cricket stars mull next step amid IPL anxiety
Some Australian players are seriously considering skipping the end of the Indian Premier League if the lucrative tournament does resume this month.
Players from both the IPL and Pakistan Super League began trickling home on Sunday, after the border conflict between India and Pakistan prompted postponement of the leagues.
Delhi Capitals fast bowler Mitchell Starc touched down at Sydney airport on Sunday as delicate talks about this year's IPL continued in India.
There remains some chance India and Pakistan's T20 tournaments could return as soon as this week, with players receiving mixed messages on the possibility of a resumption.
Much of that would depend on the success of Saturday's ceasefire, with that already appearing shaky after explosions were reported in the Kashmir region.
But even if the IPL does restart, with 12 regular-season matches plus finals still to play, it is highly unlikely all Australians will return.
AAP has been told by multiple well-placed sources that several players have serious concerns over returning to the tournament so soon.
Players were left shaken by the events of the past week, with several asking why a game in India's north in Dharamsala went ahead on Thursday.
That match near the Pakistan border was ultimately abandoned 10 overs in because of air-raid warnings in the area, with the crowd removed from the ground.
Players from the Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals were moved out of the area the following day via train.
Those events prompted a push for the IPL to be postponed last Friday, with Indian authorities confirming concerns from players.
Australia's players are now understood to have left India, most dealing with multi-leg flights to return home this weekend.
It's believed at least some Australian coaching staff have remained behind in the country, while officials determine what to do with the rest of the season.
Adding to the concerns is the situation in Pakistan, after players narrowly avoided being caught up in air strikes on Friday.
Players were flown out of the country via an air base in Islamabad that was hours later the target of a missile strike.
Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Ashton Turner, Mitch Owen, Max Bryant and Riley Meredith were the Australian players in Pakistan, with David Warner having already left the country.
Pakistan officials had initially planned on moving the tournament to the UAE, before it too was postponed.
Meanwhile, if the IPL was to resume, shifting all games to southern parts of India, well away from the Pakistan border would appear the most likely option.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings are already out of finals contention, with each only having one or two games left.
Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Nathan Ellis are Australians playing for those three lower-ranked teams.
Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Mitch Marsh and Xavier Bartlett are among other Australians in squads still in finals contention.
If players do not return or if the tournament doesn't resume, it is unclear what that would mean for lucrative playing contracts.
The IPL window is meant to close on May 25, when Australia are set to begin preparations for the World Test Championship final against South Africa starting on June 11.
Another option for Indian officials would be to move games overseas, with South Africa and the UAE having previously hosted games.
The English and Wales Cricket Board is also reported to be open to assisting by hosting matches.
Some Australian players are seriously considering skipping the end of the Indian Premier League if the lucrative tournament does resume this month.
Players from both the IPL and Pakistan Super League began trickling home on Sunday, after the border conflict between India and Pakistan prompted postponement of the leagues.
Delhi Capitals fast bowler Mitchell Starc touched down at Sydney airport on Sunday as delicate talks about this year's IPL continued in India.
There remains some chance India and Pakistan's T20 tournaments could return as soon as this week, with players receiving mixed messages on the possibility of a resumption.
Much of that would depend on the success of Saturday's ceasefire, with that already appearing shaky after explosions were reported in the Kashmir region.
But even if the IPL does restart, with 12 regular-season matches plus finals still to play, it is highly unlikely all Australians will return.
AAP has been told by multiple well-placed sources that several players have serious concerns over returning to the tournament so soon.
Players were left shaken by the events of the past week, with several asking why a game in India's north in Dharamsala went ahead on Thursday.
That match near the Pakistan border was ultimately abandoned 10 overs in because of air-raid warnings in the area, with the crowd removed from the ground.
Players from the Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals were moved out of the area the following day via train.
Those events prompted a push for the IPL to be postponed last Friday, with Indian authorities confirming concerns from players.
Australia's players are now understood to have left India, most dealing with multi-leg flights to return home this weekend.
It's believed at least some Australian coaching staff have remained behind in the country, while officials determine what to do with the rest of the season.
Adding to the concerns is the situation in Pakistan, after players narrowly avoided being caught up in air strikes on Friday.
Players were flown out of the country via an air base in Islamabad that was hours later the target of a missile strike.
Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Ashton Turner, Mitch Owen, Max Bryant and Riley Meredith were the Australian players in Pakistan, with David Warner having already left the country.
Pakistan officials had initially planned on moving the tournament to the UAE, before it too was postponed.
Meanwhile, if the IPL was to resume, shifting all games to southern parts of India, well away from the Pakistan border would appear the most likely option.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings are already out of finals contention, with each only having one or two games left.
Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Nathan Ellis are Australians playing for those three lower-ranked teams.
Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Mitch Marsh and Xavier Bartlett are among other Australians in squads still in finals contention.
If players do not return or if the tournament doesn't resume, it is unclear what that would mean for lucrative playing contracts.
The IPL window is meant to close on May 25, when Australia are set to begin preparations for the World Test Championship final against South Africa starting on June 11.
Another option for Indian officials would be to move games overseas, with South Africa and the UAE having previously hosted games.
The English and Wales Cricket Board is also reported to be open to assisting by hosting matches.
Some Australian players are seriously considering skipping the end of the Indian Premier League if the lucrative tournament does resume this month.
Players from both the IPL and Pakistan Super League began trickling home on Sunday, after the border conflict between India and Pakistan prompted postponement of the leagues.
Delhi Capitals fast bowler Mitchell Starc touched down at Sydney airport on Sunday as delicate talks about this year's IPL continued in India.
There remains some chance India and Pakistan's T20 tournaments could return as soon as this week, with players receiving mixed messages on the possibility of a resumption.
Much of that would depend on the success of Saturday's ceasefire, with that already appearing shaky after explosions were reported in the Kashmir region.
But even if the IPL does restart, with 12 regular-season matches plus finals still to play, it is highly unlikely all Australians will return.
AAP has been told by multiple well-placed sources that several players have serious concerns over returning to the tournament so soon.
Players were left shaken by the events of the past week, with several asking why a game in India's north in Dharamsala went ahead on Thursday.
That match near the Pakistan border was ultimately abandoned 10 overs in because of air-raid warnings in the area, with the crowd removed from the ground.
Players from the Punjab Kings and Delhi Capitals were moved out of the area the following day via train.
Those events prompted a push for the IPL to be postponed last Friday, with Indian authorities confirming concerns from players.
Australia's players are now understood to have left India, most dealing with multi-leg flights to return home this weekend.
It's believed at least some Australian coaching staff have remained behind in the country, while officials determine what to do with the rest of the season.
Adding to the concerns is the situation in Pakistan, after players narrowly avoided being caught up in air strikes on Friday.
Players were flown out of the country via an air base in Islamabad that was hours later the target of a missile strike.
Sean Abbott, Ben Dwarshuis, Ashton Turner, Mitch Owen, Max Bryant and Riley Meredith were the Australian players in Pakistan, with David Warner having already left the country.
Pakistan officials had initially planned on moving the tournament to the UAE, before it too was postponed.
Meanwhile, if the IPL was to resume, shifting all games to southern parts of India, well away from the Pakistan border would appear the most likely option.
Sunrisers Hyderabad, Rajasthan Royals and Chennai Super Kings are already out of finals contention, with each only having one or two games left.
Pat Cummins, Travis Head and Nathan Ellis are Australians playing for those three lower-ranked teams.
Starc, Josh Hazlewood, Josh Inglis, Aaron Hardie, Mitch Marsh and Xavier Bartlett are among other Australians in squads still in finals contention.
If players do not return or if the tournament doesn't resume, it is unclear what that would mean for lucrative playing contracts.
The IPL window is meant to close on May 25, when Australia are set to begin preparations for the World Test Championship final against South Africa starting on June 11.
Another option for Indian officials would be to move games overseas, with South Africa and the UAE having previously hosted games.
The English and Wales Cricket Board is also reported to be open to assisting by hosting matches.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Advertiser
3 hours ago
- The Advertiser
History beckons after Brumbies book Super Rugby semi
The ACT Brumbies have booked a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final berth with a gutsy 35-28 playoffs win over the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium. The home side's forward pack were prolific, with hooker Billy Pollard scoring a double, in the Brumbies' five-tries-to-four victory over the Wellingtonians on Saturday night. The Brumbies will now need to make history by beating the ladder-topping Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend to avoid a fourth straight semi-final exit against a New Zealand club. No Australian side has won a knock-out game in New Zealand in the almost 30-year history of the competition. "The process this year has been about going one better than last year, so there's a big challenge in front of us against the Chiefs in Hamilton," said Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham. "We've been in this situation multiple times. "Very happy that we've won the game, but we know that there's a lot of work to do." The Brumbies were lethal when given a sniff in the opposing 22, but Larkham said it would be a completely different story with the Chiefs next week. "I thought our scrum was outstanding. Our lineout let us down a little bit and put us under the pump a little bit with turnover ball," he said. "But obviously those two opportunities there from the maul put 14 points on the board for us." The tried-and-tested methods of rolling mauls and pick-and-drives from lineouts, which the Brumbies had relied on all season, paid dividends. After the Hurricanes opened the scoring through fullback Ruben Love, a Brumbies maul from a lineout in opposition territory slowly but surely rolled over the tryline, with Pollard the man to dot down through a sea of bodies. Fatafehi Fineanganofo hit back for the visitors before Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa burrowed over after a succession of pick-and-drives on the Hurricanes' line. With three minutes left in the first half, the Brumbies opted not to take a penalty goal from right in front, instead chancing their arms again with another lineout. Their gamble paid off with Pollard managing to break off the blindside of another maul and dive onto the tryline to give the Brumbies a seven-point lead at the break. The sides traded seven-pointers in the second half, with a try to Brumbies fullback Tom Wright after fast handiwork from Rob Valetini cancelled out by one from Bailyn Sullivan. Veteran Brumbies prop James Slipper scored with another pick-and-drive before Hurricanes substitute Pasilio Tosi narrowed the gap to one try to ramp up the tension in the dying minutes. The Hurricanes burst into the Brumbies half through a Callum Harkin linebreak in the final minute but Luke Reimer stepped up for the home side to steal back possession and settle the victory. The defending champion Blues' last-gasp win over the Chiefs earlier in the night heaped the pressure on the third-placed Brumbies, who knew a loss would consign them to bowing out before the semi-finals for the first time since 2018. Instead it was the fourth-placed Hurricanes who reached the end of the road in their season. Coach Clark Laidlaw has been dealt a tough hand this season, with a rash of injuries ruling out key players for extended periods. But it's meant the Scotsman has been able to develop the squad's depth, having had to field 40-odd players over the course of the competition. "We've just got to suck it up, I guess, and take our disappointment and lick our wounds and move into the off-season," he said. If the Brumbies win in Hamilton next weekend and the Blues upset the Crusaders in Christchurch, the Canberrans will host a home grand final for the first time since 2004 (excluding Super Rugby AU). The ACT Brumbies have booked a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final berth with a gutsy 35-28 playoffs win over the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium. The home side's forward pack were prolific, with hooker Billy Pollard scoring a double, in the Brumbies' five-tries-to-four victory over the Wellingtonians on Saturday night. The Brumbies will now need to make history by beating the ladder-topping Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend to avoid a fourth straight semi-final exit against a New Zealand club. No Australian side has won a knock-out game in New Zealand in the almost 30-year history of the competition. "The process this year has been about going one better than last year, so there's a big challenge in front of us against the Chiefs in Hamilton," said Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham. "We've been in this situation multiple times. "Very happy that we've won the game, but we know that there's a lot of work to do." The Brumbies were lethal when given a sniff in the opposing 22, but Larkham said it would be a completely different story with the Chiefs next week. "I thought our scrum was outstanding. Our lineout let us down a little bit and put us under the pump a little bit with turnover ball," he said. "But obviously those two opportunities there from the maul put 14 points on the board for us." The tried-and-tested methods of rolling mauls and pick-and-drives from lineouts, which the Brumbies had relied on all season, paid dividends. After the Hurricanes opened the scoring through fullback Ruben Love, a Brumbies maul from a lineout in opposition territory slowly but surely rolled over the tryline, with Pollard the man to dot down through a sea of bodies. Fatafehi Fineanganofo hit back for the visitors before Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa burrowed over after a succession of pick-and-drives on the Hurricanes' line. With three minutes left in the first half, the Brumbies opted not to take a penalty goal from right in front, instead chancing their arms again with another lineout. Their gamble paid off with Pollard managing to break off the blindside of another maul and dive onto the tryline to give the Brumbies a seven-point lead at the break. The sides traded seven-pointers in the second half, with a try to Brumbies fullback Tom Wright after fast handiwork from Rob Valetini cancelled out by one from Bailyn Sullivan. Veteran Brumbies prop James Slipper scored with another pick-and-drive before Hurricanes substitute Pasilio Tosi narrowed the gap to one try to ramp up the tension in the dying minutes. The Hurricanes burst into the Brumbies half through a Callum Harkin linebreak in the final minute but Luke Reimer stepped up for the home side to steal back possession and settle the victory. The defending champion Blues' last-gasp win over the Chiefs earlier in the night heaped the pressure on the third-placed Brumbies, who knew a loss would consign them to bowing out before the semi-finals for the first time since 2018. Instead it was the fourth-placed Hurricanes who reached the end of the road in their season. Coach Clark Laidlaw has been dealt a tough hand this season, with a rash of injuries ruling out key players for extended periods. But it's meant the Scotsman has been able to develop the squad's depth, having had to field 40-odd players over the course of the competition. "We've just got to suck it up, I guess, and take our disappointment and lick our wounds and move into the off-season," he said. If the Brumbies win in Hamilton next weekend and the Blues upset the Crusaders in Christchurch, the Canberrans will host a home grand final for the first time since 2004 (excluding Super Rugby AU). The ACT Brumbies have booked a Super Rugby Pacific semi-final berth with a gutsy 35-28 playoffs win over the Hurricanes at GIO Stadium. The home side's forward pack were prolific, with hooker Billy Pollard scoring a double, in the Brumbies' five-tries-to-four victory over the Wellingtonians on Saturday night. The Brumbies will now need to make history by beating the ladder-topping Chiefs in Hamilton next weekend to avoid a fourth straight semi-final exit against a New Zealand club. No Australian side has won a knock-out game in New Zealand in the almost 30-year history of the competition. "The process this year has been about going one better than last year, so there's a big challenge in front of us against the Chiefs in Hamilton," said Brumbies coach Stephen Larkham. "We've been in this situation multiple times. "Very happy that we've won the game, but we know that there's a lot of work to do." The Brumbies were lethal when given a sniff in the opposing 22, but Larkham said it would be a completely different story with the Chiefs next week. "I thought our scrum was outstanding. Our lineout let us down a little bit and put us under the pump a little bit with turnover ball," he said. "But obviously those two opportunities there from the maul put 14 points on the board for us." The tried-and-tested methods of rolling mauls and pick-and-drives from lineouts, which the Brumbies had relied on all season, paid dividends. After the Hurricanes opened the scoring through fullback Ruben Love, a Brumbies maul from a lineout in opposition territory slowly but surely rolled over the tryline, with Pollard the man to dot down through a sea of bodies. Fatafehi Fineanganofo hit back for the visitors before Brumbies captain Allan Alaalatoa burrowed over after a succession of pick-and-drives on the Hurricanes' line. With three minutes left in the first half, the Brumbies opted not to take a penalty goal from right in front, instead chancing their arms again with another lineout. Their gamble paid off with Pollard managing to break off the blindside of another maul and dive onto the tryline to give the Brumbies a seven-point lead at the break. The sides traded seven-pointers in the second half, with a try to Brumbies fullback Tom Wright after fast handiwork from Rob Valetini cancelled out by one from Bailyn Sullivan. Veteran Brumbies prop James Slipper scored with another pick-and-drive before Hurricanes substitute Pasilio Tosi narrowed the gap to one try to ramp up the tension in the dying minutes. The Hurricanes burst into the Brumbies half through a Callum Harkin linebreak in the final minute but Luke Reimer stepped up for the home side to steal back possession and settle the victory. The defending champion Blues' last-gasp win over the Chiefs earlier in the night heaped the pressure on the third-placed Brumbies, who knew a loss would consign them to bowing out before the semi-finals for the first time since 2018. Instead it was the fourth-placed Hurricanes who reached the end of the road in their season. Coach Clark Laidlaw has been dealt a tough hand this season, with a rash of injuries ruling out key players for extended periods. But it's meant the Scotsman has been able to develop the squad's depth, having had to field 40-odd players over the course of the competition. "We've just got to suck it up, I guess, and take our disappointment and lick our wounds and move into the off-season," he said. If the Brumbies win in Hamilton next weekend and the Blues upset the Crusaders in Christchurch, the Canberrans will host a home grand final for the first time since 2004 (excluding Super Rugby AU).
West Australian
6 hours ago
- West Australian
Lotto: One WA player cashes in on Saturday haul as 10 Aussies enjoy lucky weekend
Ten lucky Lotto players have each scored more than half a million dollars in Saturday's draw, including one West Aussie who might be planning their next holiday a little sooner than expected. Division One's prize for June 7 is worth $627, 568.96 — with each player taking home that figure. A further seven WA players have picked up Division Two wins, each worth $7,694.45. A total of 78 Australians are in line to claim the prize. Saturday June 7's winning numbers were 30, 26, 11, 22, 36, 13, plus the Supplementary numbers 24 and 25. It comes after Friday's fortuitous news north of Perth, with Two Rocks News & Post claiming they had sold a prized Millionaire Medley ticket. 'We have some unbelievable news! We've done it,' a photo caption on the newsagency's Facebook page stated. 'We've sold a division one in tonight's Millionaire Medley.'
Perth Now
6 hours ago
- Perth Now
It's a SUPER Saturday for one lucky WA Lotto player
Ten lucky Lotto players have each scored more than half a million dollars in Saturday's draw, including one West Aussie who might be planning their next holiday a little sooner than expected. Division One's prize for June 7 is worth $627, 568.96 — with each player taking home that figure. A further seven WA players have picked up Division Two wins, each worth $7,694.45. A total of 78 Australians are in line to claim the prize. Saturday June 7's winning numbers were 30, 26, 11, 22, 36, 13, plus the Supplementary numbers 24 and 25. It comes after Friday's fortuitous news north of Perth, with Two Rocks News & Post claiming they had sold a prized Millionaire Medley ticket. 'We have some unbelievable news! We've done it,' a photo caption on the newsagency's Facebook page stated. 'We've sold a division one in tonight's Millionaire Medley.'
