Australia to limit players' IPL involvement in World Cup year

A combination of World Cup preparations, a clash with the end of the Sheffield Shield season and a one-day international series against Pakistan will mean players are unlikely to make an impact on the 2019 competition

The Indian Premier League will be without its Australian stars for much of its 2019 season, given the timings of the tournament.

A combination of World Cup preparations, a clash with the end of the Sheffield Shield season and a one-day international series against Pakistan will mean that those players who do have a contract in India are unlikely to be able to make much of an impact on the competition.

Cricket Australia will only grant no objection certificates at the end of the states' respective domestic campaigns while no special dispensation will be offered to the country's white-ball internationals to miss any of the World Cup warm-ups.

Mitchell Starc has already lost his contract at Kolkata Knight Riders, and the restrictions means many other big names - including Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell - may not get a look-in in the IPL next year.

^{Australia's players will have little involvement in the 2019 IPL}

"In the interest of making Australians proud of our team, we are working hard to ensure their health and match readiness ahead of what will undoubtedly be a huge year in cricket, while respecting the players' interests in playing in the various formats," said interim high performance manager Belinda Clark.

"It is a difficult period with the IPL being brought forward to accommodate the Cricket World Cup, and overlapping our domestic season."

The IPL is being brought forward to accommodate the needs of international players in World Cup year, with March 23 being touted as a possible start date.

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England have reportedly told the BCCI that none of their players will be avaialble from the beginning of May, but New Zealand have given permission for all Blackcaps to take part in the entire competition.

"We will, as always, assess applications on a case by case basis but it is important the players understand our position in advance, so they have the clarity they need to make personal decisions," Clark said.

"It is imperative that we ensure Australia is in the best possible position as we head into the Cricket World Cup and the 2019 Ashes series. This means prioritising our focus on match readiness and the health of our players."

The World Cup is due to start on May 30 and runs through until July 14.