England players to miss remainder of IPL 2024 to prepare for Pakistan series, ICC T20 World Cup 2024

England cricket players have completed their engagements in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) and have returned to their country to focus on the series against Pakistan and thereafter the ICC T20 World Cup 2024.

Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow, Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone will miss the remainder of the IPL 2024 to focus on national duty.

England will play a T20I series against Pakistan from May 22 in Headingley.

Buttler (Rajasthan Royals) and Salt (Kolkata Knight Riders) will be unavailable for the important playoff phase for their franchise, with Ali too missing the phase, assuming Chennai Super Kings qualify. Curran, Bairstow and Livingstone, who play for Punjab Kings, will only miss the last two league matches for their franchise, as they have already been eliminated from the play-offs.

Livingstone departed for England to undergo knee recuperation ahead of the marquee ICC T20 World Cup. The Punjab Kings all-rounder has been having a knee issue for the last few games and said it is high time for him to get his knee sorted before the World Cup.

“IPL done for another year, had to get my knee sorted for the upcoming World Cup,” Livingstone gave an update on social media.

Although the injury is not very serious, the England Cricket Board (ECB) are in no mood to take chances, with the World Cup looming. The all-rounder will start his rehab process before the Pakistan series and hope to get fit in time for the series and the World Cup.

Buttler and Ali played their last matches for their respective franchises when they met each other in Chennai over the weekend, with Salt playing his last match against the Mumbai Indians on May 11 at Eden Gardens.

Punjab duo of Livingstone and Bairstow played their last match for their franchise against Royal Challengers Bengaluru in Dharamsala on May 9 while Curran will leave after Punjab's match against Rajasthan Royals on Wednesday, May 15.

England start their ICC T20 World Cup on June 4 against Scotland in Bridgetown, Barbados.