Foreign Player Availability for IPL 2025 Playoffs: Who’s In, Who’s Out?

This season, the four teams that made it to the playoffs were confirmed with seven matches still left to play the earliest it's ever happened in IPL history. However, the fight for a top-two finish, which offers a second shot at making the final, came down to the last league match between Royal Challengers Bengaluru and Lucknow Super Giants. The temporary suspension of the league due to the India-Pakistan border conflict caused a week-long break, leading to scheduling overlaps with international fixtures most notably, the World Test Championship final.

South African players taking part in the World Test Championship final will miss the IPL playoffs as they head to London for preparations. Similarly, England’s players selected for their upcoming ODI series against West Indies are also expected to be unavailable for the playoffs.

RCB will miss two key players in the playoffs Lungi Ngidi, who’s heading to London for the WTC final, and Jacob Bethell, who’s been called up for West Indies' ODI series. The good news for them is that Phil Salt and Liam Livingstone are still around, as they haven’t been picked for the ODIs. RCB has already lined up replacements, bringing in Tim Seifert and Blessing Muzarabani. Over at GT, Kagiso Rabada and Jos Buttler will be unavailable. Rabada had already missed several matches earlier in the season, but Buttler’s absence will hurt, he’s been in great form scoring 538 runs in 14 games. GT has brought in Kusal Mendis as a replacement.

Allah Ghazanfar and Lizaad Williams were ruled out of IPL 2025 even before the season started due to injuries. Now, heading into the playoffs, MI will also be without Will Jacks, Corbin Bosch and Ryan Rickelton, who are all unavailable for various reasons — a blow to the team's depth at a crucial stage.

Full List of Overseas Players Unavailable for Four Teams

Punjab Kings (PBKS)

Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB)

Gujarat Titans (GT) 

Mumbai Indians (MI) 

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