IPL 2023: 5 players who might miss few matches due to national duty

With the 2023 edition of the IPL right around the corner, teams have started gearing up for the marquee tournament. Preparations at each camp are underway to make the most out of the acclimatization phase and put their best foot forward in order to place contention for the coveted silverware. 

However, there are many teams that have been hit with unfortunate news at the outset of the tournament. While some teams have lost players to injuries, others have had to rethink their configuration because of players missing out on account of various other reasons. 

Similarly, many players are expected to miss out on the tournament at least partially, owing to their obligations to fulfill national commitments. While most cricket boards generally give a free corridor to facilitate the organization of the cash-rich league, it will coincide with a few bilateral series on the initial days of the tournament. Thus, some key players might not be seen taking part in the early phase of IPL 2023.

Here are 5 players who are expected to miss the first few matches of the IPL on account of national commitments:

Wanindu Hasaranga - Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB): 

The Sri Lankan leg spinner is one of the key assets when it comes to RCB’s bowling lineup. He averaged 16.54 while bowling in the 2022 season of the IPL and scalped 26 wickets, the second-most of the season. He is also a handy striker of the ball who can score quick runs to give a breather to his team. 

Hasaranga claimed a 5-wicket and a 4-wicket haul in just the second season of his IPL career. Hasaranga who was chosen by RCB over Yuzvendra Chahal on account of his batting prowess proved to be a quality replacement with the ball for the latter who won the Purple Cap with just one more wicket than him.

He is set to miss a few games initially in the tournament as it would coincide with Sri Lanka's white ball series against New Zealand. It will thus be a challenge for the team to get a frontline spinner in his absence.