Australia players cleared for IPL return before T20 World Cup in UAE

Cricket Australia has issued No Objection Certificates for leading players to return to the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL), scheduled to start in the UAE from September 19.

Smith and Cummins were among the Australian players playing in the 2021 edition of the IPL in India.

Cricket Australia has issued No Objection Certificates for leading players to return to the second half of the Indian Premier League (IPL) next month while a planned T20 tri-series with Afghanistan and West Indies may be repurposed as World Cup warm-ups. The announcement came after the Afghanistan Cricket Board (ACB) confirmed the postponement of a three-match ODI series between the two nations originally slated to be held in India ahead of the T20 World Cup.

Seven players who participated in the initial stage of this year's IPL -- David Warner, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Marcus Stoinis, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson and Daniel Sams -- are now expected to return to the T20 league.

Pat Cummins has said he will miss the second half due to the imminent birth of his first child.

This year's IPL was suspended in May after several positive coronavirus tests among players. The season will resume on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates, with 31 matches scheduled to be played in 27 days. The lucrative T20 League ends just two days before the T20 World Cup begins, which has also been relocated to the UAE from India.

M.S. Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings will take on Rohit Sharma-led Mumbai Indians when the IPL resumes. Dubai will host 13 matches, Sharjah will host 10 and the remaining eight matches will be played in Abu Dhabi.

There are seven double-headers, with the final match of the league stage taking place on October 8 between Royal Challengers Bangalore and Delhi Capitals.