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All 13 Bangladeshi cricketers who have registered for the upcoming Indian Premier League auction will be free of any other commitment for the duration of the next three seasons of the T20 competition.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has sent the list of players to the IPL authorities.
Although several Bangladeshi cricketers enter the IPL auction each year, very few manage to secure contracts. Availability issues in the past have often left franchises hesitant about selecting Bangladeshi players.
This time, however, the BCB has assured full availability for its players across the next three IPL seasons.
The list includes seasoned IPL participants such as Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman, along with other notable names like Taskin Ahmed, Litton Kumar Das, Mahedi Hasan, Rishad Hossain, Towhid Hridoy, Shoriful Islam, Hasan Mahmud, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Nahid Rana, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, and the surprising addition of pacer Shahidul Islam, who last represented Bangladesh in a T20I in 2021.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) had asked cricket boards worldwide to confirm the full availability of their players for the upcoming IPL seasons.
According to ESPNcricinfo, most full-member boards, including Bangladesh, have provided the assurance.
The ICC’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) has also allocated a dedicated window for the IPL, ensuring minimal scheduling of international cricket during the tournament.
For the first time, schedules for the next three editions of the IPL have been finalised and shared with franchises.
The 2024 IPL will run from Mar 14 to May 25. The 2025 edition will begin on Mar 15 and end on May 31, while the 2027 season will take place from Mar 14 to May 30.
The length of the tournament and the number of matches will vary by season. The 2024 IPL will feature 74 matches, similar to the last two seasons, while the 2025 edition will have 84 matches. The 2027 IPL will expand further with 94 matches, necessitating format changes.
England has confirmed the availability of 18 players for the next three IPL seasons, although Test captain Ben Stokes is not among them.
Players from South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, and Zimbabwe will be fully available. Sri Lankan cricketers will be available for the entire 2025 IPL season and partially for the following two seasons.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has not participated in the process, as Pakistani players have been excluded from the IPL since its inaugural season.