IPL Washes Hands of Overseas Player Crisis, Puts Entire Responsibility on Franchises

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2026 season will go ahead as scheduled despite uncertainty over the availability of several overseas players, with league officials making it clear that the final call rests with individual franchises.

Amid concerns around injuries and workload management, an IPL official stated that while some international players are yet to join their squads, teams themselves will decide on participation. “It is up to the franchises to decide on the participation of some foreign players… The IPL will commence as scheduled and with full fanfare,” the official said.

One of the key uncertainties surrounds Mitchell Starc, with Delhi Capitals awaiting a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from Cricket Australia as they monitor his workload.

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Meanwhile, Kolkata Knight Riders head coach Abhishek Nayar confirmed that Sri Lankan pacer Matheesha Pathirana will miss the initial phase of the tournament and is expected to join only by mid-April.

Australian captain Pat Cummins is also set to arrive late, prompting his team to appoint Ishan Kishan as interim captain. In another development, Dasun Shanaka is likely to feature for Rajasthan Royals as a replacement for the injured Sam Curran.

Despite these disruptions, the IPL remains confident of a smooth and high-profile start. The 19th edition of the tournament, featuring 10 teams and 74 matches, will kick off on March 28 with defending champions Royal Challengers Bengaluru taking on SunRisers Hyderabad at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium.

The league has reiterated that while player availability may vary, the scale, excitement, and competitive intensity of the tournament will remain unaffected.

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