BENGALURU (Reuters) -Cricket Australia is working with the government and the Indian board on security arrangements with several players set to make a decision on whether to return to the Indian Premier League when it resumes this week, the governing body said on Tuesday.
The Twenty20 tournament was suspended last Friday amid the worst fighting between India and Pakistan in nearly three decades before a ceasefire was reached over the weekend.
India’s board (BCCI) said on Monday the remaining 17 games would resume on May 17 with the final rescheduled for June 3.
That would leave some Australian players, such as Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Josh Inglis, with a quick turnaround for their World Test Championship (WTC) final against South Africa at Lord’s that begins eight days later.
“Following the announcement that the Indian Premier League will resume on Saturday, Cricket Australia will support players in their individual decisions whether to return to India or not,” Cricket Australia said in a statement.
“Team management will work through preparation implications for the WTC final for those players who choose to play in the remaining IPL matches.
“We are maintaining communication with the Australian government and BCCI around security arrangements and safety.”
Reuters has contacted the BCCI and Cricket Australia for details about the Australian players and staff who have returned home.
The conflict also led Pakistan’s cricket board to suspend its elite T20 tournament but Chairman Mohsin Naqvi said on social media on Tuesday the Pakistan Super League will resume on Saturday with the final moved to May 25, a week later than scheduled.
The military confrontation began last Wednesday when India struck nine “terrorist infrastructure” sites in Pakistan and Pakistani Kashmir following an attack on Hindu tourists by Islamist militants in Indian Kashmir last month.
Islamabad denied links to the attack and called for a neutral investigation. The nuclear-armed neighbours agreed to a ceasefire announced by U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday.
(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Peter Rutherford)
