Reports | New Zealand Cricket will grant NOC to its players for IPL participation

Reports | New Zealand Cricket will grant NOC to its players for IPL participation

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New Zealand players have been the given green light to play in the IPL

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New Zealand Cricket (NZC) spokesperson Richard Boock, in an informal chat with PTI, has confirmed that the board will grant all its players NOCs for the IPL, but added that players will have to take care of due diligence. Kane Williamson, meanwhile, expressed his delight over the IPL taking place.

Two days after Brijesh Patel, the chairman of the Indian Premier League (IPL), confirmed that the 2020 edition of the tournament will take place in UAE later this year, on the back of the World T20 getting postponed, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) spokesperson Richard Boock has told PTI that the board will have no problem in handing all the Kiwi players, who are set to play in the tournament, a No Objection Certificate (NOC).

Jimmy Neesham (Kings XI Punjab), Lockie Ferguson (Kolkata Knight Riders), Mitchell McClenaghan and Trent Boult (Mumbai Indians), Kane Williamson (Sunrisers Hyderabad) and Mitchell Santner (Chennai Super Kings) are the six players slated to participate in the IPL and Boock, while confirming that the players will be handed NOCs, insisted that it will be up to the individuals to act responsibly and take care of due diligence. With New Zealand not scheduled to play any bilateral series, mainly Test cricket, in the next few months, each of the six aforementioned players, should they keep themselves fit, will be expected to participate in the tournament that will take place in UAE. 

"Regarding the IPL, NZC will be issuing NOCs to the relevant players and it's up to them to decide. NZC doesn't have an opinion on the IPL being staged in the UAE. It's not within our remit,” NZC spokesperson Richard Boock told PTI via email.

Boock also confirmed that New Zealand’s A tour of India, that was scheduled for August, has been cancelled, after both BCCI and NZC came to a mutual agreement. 

"My information is that the A tour of India will not be happening. It was a decision taken by mutual agreement between both the boards," Boock said, speaking of the ‘A’ series.

Meanwhile, New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson, who will be representing the Sunrisers Hyderabad franchise in the competition, stated that it’s exciting for players and fans around the world to get some enthralling cricketing action in the form of the IPL, but also expressed his disappointment over the World T20 getting pushed. Williamson also added that ‘it would be nice to know more’ about the security arrangements that would be made for the players in UAE.

“Like I said, considering what it actually looks like where it is and all the details that come with it, to play in the IPL is always an amazing thing so, absolutely, it will be great to play in it and be a part of it. But there’s a lot of details to come through before any final decisions will be made. It will be nice to know more. By all accounts the IPL, they’re looking to host that tournament which is a fantastic tournament to be a part of and attracts such an incredible audience," Williamson was quoted as saying by Sportstar.

“It’s a shame to see the World Cup be postponed but I suppose it’s the nature of what we’re faced with in the current climate but exciting at the potential opportunity individually to see some cricket come on to the horizon.”

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