If the teams they represent reach the business end of the T20 league, they either have to miss the finale or skip the national duty.
Their campaign back on track after the humiliating loss in the opener, title holders England would look for a dominating all-round effort against a battered Afghanistan in the World Cup in New Delhi on Sunday, with eyes firmly set on bettering their net run rate.
IMAGES from the Indian Premier League match played between Chennai Super Kings and SunRisers Hyderabad in Chennai, on Friday.
He batted with maturity, picking his shots and rotating the strike effectively. He was also not afraid to take his time when the boundaries dried up, showing that he understands the nuances of the game.
England captain Liam Livingstone struck a magnificent century to guide the tourists to a five-wicket victory over West Indies.
'Very pleasing. Most importantly the win, cricket has turned to baseball isn't it? We're delighted with the two points.'
Jonny Bairstow will return to the England squad for the third and fourth Tests against India, along with Sam Curran and Mark Wood.
Punjab Kings would be sweating over skipper Shikhar Dhawan's injury at a time when they need all their firepower against Royal Challengers Bangalore.
It's hot, hot, hot in the UAE and the cricketers have brought out some funky shades to keep the sun out of their eyes.
CSK can ill-afford to take Punjab Kings lightly, who are coming in to this match after chasing down a world record total of 262 against KKR.
Cummins, who skipped the IPL last season, was also the most expensive buy in the 2020 IPL Auction.
Rahul Tewatia's entertaining cameo of 36 from 18 balls was the turning point for the Gujarat Titans.
Sealing their second T20 World Cup, England are now the first nation to hold both global white-ball trophies, having won the 50-over World Cup on home soil in 2019.
Led by Josh Hazlewood, RCB produced a dominant bowling performance to crush Chennai Super Kings by 50 runs.
Images from the IPL 2023 match between Punjab Kings and Royal Challengers Bangalore on Thursday.
India coach Ravi Shastri, on Friday, said that they didn't lose the Test series to a collective effort from England but to all-rounder Sam Curran's individual brilliance which became the difference at crucial junctures.
Stunning catches from the Punjab Kings-Royal Challengers Bengaluru game.
England have also included seamer Reece Topley, who they hope will have recovered from an ankle injury in time to play.
The two sides experienced contrasting fortunes in their respective tournament opener.
CSK shared a video compilation of the players, dedicating a special birthday wish for Dhoni.
Mayank Yadav (3/27) stole the limelight with his searing pace as Lucknow Super Giants humbled Punjab Kings by 21 runs.
Five-time champions Mumbai Indians' class and pedigree will once again be tested when they take on an unpredictable Punjab Kings.
Travis Head struck a remarkable 19-ball half century, including 30 off one over, as Australia beat England by 28 runs in the first match of their T20 series in Southampton on Wednesday.
Images from the IPL 2023 match between Lucknow Super Giants vs Punjab Kings played in Lucknow on Saturday
With an eye to revive fortunes this season, CSK players including Suresh Raina, Deepak Chahar and Sam Curran started practice on Wednesday.
The Punjab Kings, who have heavily relied on skipper Shikhar Dhawan, will need their batters to step up as they face a confident Lucknow Super Giants on Saturday.
Delhi Capitals skipper Rishabh Pant played his first competitive after a 15-month injury lay-off following a car crash.
Smarting from back-to-back defeats, Sunrisers Hyderabad will have a lot to ponder, especially addressing their batting frailties, when they take on high-flying Punjab Kings in the Indian Premier League in Hyderabad on Sunday.
A resurgent Royal Challengers Bengaluru will look for their fourth consecutive victory when they face an unpredictable Punjab Kings as the two sides fight for survival in the Indian Premier League, in Dharamsala on Thursday.
'Hopefully, he will be back from his injuries soon. The priority will be the Champions Trophy, so we are going to make sure he is ready for that.'
Shai Hope hit a winning six as West Indies bounced back from defeat earlier in the week to beat England by four wickets.
England will be wary of any complacency against Afghanistan, especially as the tournament has already seen major upsets with former champions Sri Lanka and twice winners West Indies suffering shock defeats.
Wayne Parnell struck twice in the powerplay before the South African spin duo of Keshav Maharaj (3-17) and Tabrazi Shamsi (2-6) ran through New Zealand's batting line up.
Prithvi Shaw, Mayank Agarwal. Deepak Hooda, Dinesh Karthik, Umesh Yadav and Umran Malik. Sam Curran, Harry Brook, Jofra Archer and Kagiso Rabada.
Former Indian cricket team coach Ravi Shastri has praised Jitesh Sharma, the wicketkeeper-batsman for Punjab Kings, saying that he has the potential to join the Indian team at any time.
Adil Rashid was, on Tuesday, named as the sole specialist spinner in the England playing XI for the series opener against India, creating more pressure on the leg-spinner after his controversial recall to the Test side.
England face fellow strugglers Sri Lanka in a must-win World Cup match on Thursday.
They are the team's leading performers, but Lokesh Rahul and Chris Gayle's batting in the Powerplay overs was one of the "massive problems", opined Kings XI Punjab skipper Ravichandran Ashwin after team failed to make it to the play-offs in Season 12 of the Indian Premier League.
Following his side's win over Punjab Kings (PBKS) in their Indian Premier League (IPL) game, Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) skipper Faf Du Plessis lauded Virat Kohli for his knock, saying that his stay was important at that playing surface and he is still passionate about the sport.
After eight defeats in 11 outings, Chennai Super Kings will look to give their forgettable campaign a semblance of respectability when they take on in-form Royal Challengers Bangalore in the Indian Premier League in Dubai on Sunday.
