Cricket

IPL Confirms Dates for 2025-2027 Seasons

In a groundbreaking move, the Indian Premier League (IPL) has announced the tournament windows for the next three seasons. As per an email accessed by ESPNcricinfo, IPL 2025 will run from March 14 to May 25, while IPL 2026 and IPL 2027 are scheduled for March 15 to May 31 and March 14 to May 30, respectively. While these are termed as “windows,” they are expected to be finalized as the official dates.

The 2025 IPL season will feature 74 matches, maintaining consistency with the last three years. However, this is fewer than the 84 matches initially proposed for 2025 and 2026 during the media rights auction in 2022. The IPL’s current media deal for 2023-2027 outlines a gradual increase in matches, with a peak of 94 games in 2027.

In a massive boost for franchises, overseas players from almost all Full Member nations, except Pakistan, will be available for the IPL until 2027. Pakistan’s absence continues due to ongoing political tensions with India.

Here’s a breakdown of country-wise player availability for IPL 2025-2027:

Cricket Australia (CA) has cleared all its players—both international and domestic—for IPL 2025.
In 2026, Australian players will join the league after completing a three-match ODI series in Pakistan, ending no later than March 18.
For IPL 2027, players involved in the commemorative Test match against England (marking 150 years of Test cricket) will join post-match.

The ECB has confirmed 18 centrally contracted players, including Jos Buttler, Harry Brook, and Sam Curran, will be fully available for IPL 2025-2027.
Notable absences include Test captain Ben Stokes, who opted out of the IPL 2025 mega auction.
Non-centrally contracted English players will also be available without restrictions.

South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, and Zimbabwe

Players from these countries will have full availability throughout the IPL windows.

Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan players will be fully available in 2025. Those retained for subsequent seasons will remain available for IPL 2026 and 2027.

Bangladesh

The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has provided a list of 13 players with varied availability over the three-year period. Key names include Shakib Al Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Litton Das, and Mustafizur Rahman.

The Future of the IPL

With confirmed schedules and assurances from cricket boards, IPL continues to position itself as the most lucrative and globally significant T20 league. Franchises will benefit from the guaranteed availability of star players, while fans can look forward to competitive seasons over the next three years.

Image Credits: The Indian Express

Siddharth Dahiya