England players have left for the national duty before the league stage in the 2024 edition of the IPL came to an end. All-rounder Liam Livingstone left after his side Punjab Kings' last game against the Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). The RCB duo of Will Jacks and Reece Topley left after their side's game against the Delhi Capitals. Jos Buttler, the England captain also left after the Rajasthan Royals' game against the Chennai Super Kings so did Moeen Ali. Phil Salt departed after KKR's washed out clash against Gujarat Titans and the remaining two, Sam Curran and Jonny Bairstow will be departing on Thursday, May 16 ahead of England's series against Pakistan.
While the teams not in the fray for the playoffs might not be affected, the likes of KKR, the Rajasthan Royals, RCB and CSK will be affected the most. The likes of Salt, Buttler and Moeen Ali have been cornerstones of their respective franchises and not having them in crunch time could prove to be detrimental.
The Royals got a taste of it in their penultimate game against the Punjab Kings in Guwahati on Wednesday, May 15 as without Buttler, who has been their enforcer at the top, they struggled to get to 144 and the visitors eventually won the game. The Royals have now lost four in a row and are in danger of losing out on a top-two spot.
Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan wasn't happy with the same as he reacted to the English players' departure saying, "Either be available for the full season or don’t come!"
England and Wales Cricket Board's (ECB) T20 World Cup squad announcement release categorically said that the selected players playing in IPL would go back in time for the first T20I against Pakistan. Hence, the exodus. There were reports of talks between ECB and BCCI of the decision getting reversed but since it came from Buttler himself, who has been a lynchpin for RR, despite knowing that his team is in a prime position to clinch that trophy, there were very little chance of that happening.
The four-match series between England and Pakistan kicks off on Wednesday, May 22.
