Despite the Caribbean team participating in international matches, Cricket West Indies (CWI) has chosen to allow its players to finish their IPL contracts. For teams like the Gujarat Titans and Royal Challengers Bengaluru, who are losing out on a few important players because of their international commitments, the CWI ruling should be a tremendous relief.
Players like Sherfane Rutherford and Romario Shepherd, who have made significant contributions to their teams, will be necessary for GT and RCB, who have a good chance of qualifying for the playoffs. After the league stage, both GT and RCB will be without a few of their foreign players.
“Regarding the upcoming ODI tours of Ireland and England from May 21 to June 3, Cricket West Indies acknowledges this as an exceptional and unforeseen situation. However, we remain confident in the depth and quality of our talent and are committed to fielding a strong, competitive squad to represent the West Indies with pride,” CWI said in a statement.
In addition to Rutherford and Shepherd, the eight West Indies players participating in the 2025 Indian Premier League are Andre Russell (KKR), Sunil Narine (KKR), Rovman Powell (KKR), Nicholas Pooran (LSG), Shamar Joseph (LSG), and Shimron Hetmyer (RR). For the two next white ball series, the West Indies squad has only selected three of them: Rutherford, Shepherd, and Joseph.
Shamar Joseph will not be going back to India for the rest of the IPL, according to CWI. Sherfane Rutherford will be replaced by John Campbell for the Ireland leg, while Shimron Hetmyer, who is not available for the Ireland leg, will be included in the team for the England games (Hermyer’s RR has little chance of making it to the round of four). Romario Shepherd will be replaced by Jediah Blades.
The West Indies will play three One-Day Internationals (ODIs) in Ireland on May 21, 23, and 25. On May 29, June 1 and 3, they will play England in England. The West Indies will also play three Twenty20 Internationals after the ODI series in England, however those matches will begin on June 6 after the June 3 IPL final.
“The safety and well-being of our players remain our top priority, and we are committed to ensuring that they feel supported and informed throughout this period. At the same time, we are working collaboratively with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the relevant IPL franchises to ensure all necessary measures are taken to guarantee the safety, comfort, and peace of mind of our players,” the West Indies board said, adding, “CWI will continue to monitor developments and maintain open lines of communication with all key stakeholders, including the players, their families, and team management.”
