The England tour of Bangladesh, which was scheduled to be held in September and October was postponed ahead of the second phase of IPL 2021. The marquee Indian domestic league will also take place in the same months of September and October.
The IPL 2021 season was postponed earlier this year midway after several players tested positive for the deadly virus. The remainder of the tournament was announced officially in the previous month.
The England tour of Bangladesh was postponed due to the Covid-19 protocols in the country and to prioritize the safety of the players.
England was going to play three ODIs and as many T20Is against Bangladesh on the latter’s turf, the postponement of the series is good news for many IPL franchises as this will allow the English players to come back and play the second phase of the tournament.
Several players like Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow will be available for their respective franchises giving them a chance to qualify for the knockout stages.
The second phase of the IPL season will begin on October 17 in UAE and will see all the eight franchises battle it out for a place in the knockout stages.
The ECB will begin negotiations with the BCCI to allow the English players to leave halfway for their series against Pakistan which will act as a warm-up for the T20 world cup.