Indian Premier League (IPL) has witnessed key departures of English players from their respective franchises. Jos Buttler, the dynamic wicketkeeper-batter, has left the Rajasthan Royals squad to join the England squad for the upcoming series against Pakistan.
This decision comes as a strategic move by Buttler to focus on international duties ahead of the T20 World Cup, marking a notable absence from the Royals’ lineup for the play-off stages of the IPL.
Simultaneously, Liam Livingstone has opted to leave the Punjab Kings owing to persistent knee issues that have affected his batting form recently. Livingstone, known for his aggressive batting, has decided to prioritize his fitness and address these concerns before the T20I World Cup.
He has accumulated only 111 runs in 7 matches with the highest score of 38* throughout the season which showcases his struggles with the bat in this year’s IPL for Punjab Kings. Other English players in the IPL including Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Reece Topley, Jonny Bairstow, Phil Salt and plenty of others have also left the cash-rich league to join the England squad.
The absence of Buttler from Rajasthan Royals and Salt from Kolkata Knight Riders poses a serious challenge for their respective teams in the IPL.
Rajasthan will need to assess their lineup for the playoffs without the explosive services of Buttler, while Kolkata has already qualified for the playoffs where they will miss the services of Salt.
Pakistan will take on England at Headingley, Leeds on May 22 while the second T20 encounter will take place in Birmingham on May 25.
The third match will be played at Cardiff on May 28 whereas the last match of the series will be held on May 30 at The Oval Stadium before the commencement of the T20 World Cup on June 2.
| Date | Match | Venue |
| May 22 | 1st T20I Match | Headingley |
| May 25 | 2nd T20I Match | Birmingham |
| May 28 | 3rd T20I Match | Cardiff |
| May 30 | 4th T20I Match | The Oval |
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