IPL 2021: BCCI awaits Cricket Australia's (CA) confirmation, franchises confident about New Zealand players' participation

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is still awaiting Cricket Australia's (CA) message about the availability of their players for IPL 2021.

According to the latest reports from Cricbuzz, the apex cricket board in India informed the franchises that they'd get an update about the same by August 10.

Even though there is clarity about the participation of players from most of the other countries, there are quite a few apprehensions amongst the franchises about the availability of the Australian cricketers.

Cricket Australia is exploring the possibility of conducting a tri-series involving the West Indies and Afghanistan in October this year. The tri-series was initially scheduled to be hosted by Afghanistan in India as a build-up for the T20 World Cup.

But with the situation rapidly changing at this stage, neither Cricket West Indies (CWI) nor the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) has confirmed if they will participate in the series.

Furthermore, CWI has announced that all its players will be available for IPL 2021, which further jeopardizes the planning of this series.

New Zealand Cricket (NZC) to release its players for IPL 2021

In all likelihood, the New Zealand cricketers would be available for the entire duration of the second half of IPL 2021.

Some reports suggest that New Zealand Cricket (NZC) would release its players for the T20 league despite the plans of a series against Pakistan.

New Zealand is scheduled to play three ODIs and five T20Is against Pakistan starting on September 11.

"That is what we have been told. The NZC will release the IPL players," said a franchise official.

Kane Williamson (SRH), Tim Seifert (KKR), Lockie Ferguson (KKR), James Neesham (MI), Trent Boult (MI), Adam Milne (MI), Kyle Jamieson (RCB), and Mitchell Santner (CSK) are the eight New Zealand cricketers who will be taking part in the second phase of IPL 2021.

Meanwhile, England's players will also be available for the tournament. After the five-match Test series against India concludes, they will be flying to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for IPL 2021 in the same charter as the Indian players.