Top players won't play Mushtaq Ali T20 knockout finale

MUMBAI: The latter stages of the Mushtaq Ali T20 inter-zonal knockout tournament, scheduled from April 1-7 at Cuttack, would be without a number of key players because of its proximity to the Indian Premier League's commencement.

"Players have been allowed to play for their respective state teams till April 4. After that they can join their respective IPL franchise teams," Cricket Board sources told PTI today.

The IPL commences on April 8 and ends on May 24. The sources said that at least this year the Mushtaq Ali T20 will conclude before the start of the IPL unlike last year when it was held after the cash-rich T20 league was already on.

"We have been trying to schedule the dates of the Mushtaq Ali tournament in such a way it does not clash with IPL. From next year they won't clash at all," the sources indicated.

Currently, the league phase of the domestic T20 tournament is in progress and it's scheduled to end tomorrow.

Two teams from each zone would progress to the inter zonal knock out phase.