Seven Bangladeshi players, including Mustafizur Rahman, registered for the IPL 2027 mini-auction

The scope of the world's richest and most popular cricket league, the Indian Premier League (IPL), is set to expand. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is developing a plan to include two new teams in the IPL starting from 2028.

According to media reports, the cities of Pune and Vadodara are leading the race for these two spots, although negotiations are still in the initial stages. It is also suggested that the names of these cities may be changed.

This significant expansion could occur as part of the next cycle of media rights, which will run from 2028 to 2032. Given the growing global popularity, it is expected that the cost of each new franchise will exceed 1 billion dollars (equivalent to approximately 8,300 million rupees).

Not only major Indian businessmen but also large foreign investors, such as family offices from the USA, sovereign funds from the Middle East (West Asia), and private investment firms from the UK, such as 'Permira', are ready to participate in this new auction battle.

The city of Pune has long ties with the IPL. It previously hosted the 'Pune Warriors India' (2011–2013) and 'Rising Pune Supergiant' (2016–2017) teams, with the Pune team reaching the final in 2017.

As Gujarat prepares to become a sports hub, Vadodara, located just 110 km from Ahmedabad, possesses an excellent atmosphere for international cricket. This city is being considered given India's bid to host the 2036 Olympic Games.

Recent major deals have provided insight into the cost of new teams. Diageo sold the rights to RCB to a consortium comprising giants such as Aditya Birla Group and Blackstone for an estimated $1.78 billion (approximately 15,000 million rupees).

Furthermore, the Lakshmi Mittal family and Adar Poonawala acquired Rajasthan Royals for an estimated $1.65 billion. Previously, in 2022, Lucknow Super Giants were sold for $940 million, and Gujarat Titans for $750 million.

Significant changes have occurred in the Indian squad participating in the Rising Stars 2026 Asian Cup. Rajat Patidar has decided to temporarily withdraw from the 50-over matches due to an ongoing injury. He notified the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and consequently will not be able to participate in this tournament.

Following Rajat Patidar's departure, the selection committee appointed Rinku Singh as the vice-captain of the India-A team for this tournament. Ayush Badoni was included in the 15-man squad in place of Patidar. Tilak Verma will retain the captaincy of the team. Abhishek Sharma and fifteen-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi will also feature in the India-A squad.

Eight teams are participating in the tournament, divided into two groups. Group A includes Bangladesh-A, Sri Lanka-A, Afghanistan-A, and Hong Kong. In Group B, India-A is grouped with Pakistan-A, Nepal, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The top two teams from each group will advance to the semi-finals. The semi-finals are scheduled for November 26 and 27, and the final is planned for November 29.

The Indian squad will begin its tournament journey on November 20 against Nepal. This will be followed by a match against Pakistan-A on November 22. The last group stage match for the Indian team will be on November 24 against the UAE. All three of India's league matches will take place in Doha.

The matches against Nepal and Pakistan-A will be played at the West End Park International Stadium. The India-A vs UAE match will take place at the Doha University of Science and Technology.

The India-A squad includes Abhishek Sharma, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, Prabsimarna Singh (wicketkeeper), Tilak Verma (captain), Rinku Singh (vice-captain), Kumar Kushagra (wicketkeeper), Suryansha Shedge, Shahbaz Ahmed, Vipraj Nagma, Harsh Dubey, Tanusha Kotiyana, Harshit Rana, Prince Yadav, Arshad Khan, and Ayush Badoni.

The schedule for the India-A team is as follows: November 20: India-A vs Nepal; November 22: India-A vs Pakistan-A; November 24: India-A vs UAE.

Hopes for Pakistani bowler Mohammad Amir's participation in the IPL have been dashed. Although speculation arose about him playing in the world's largest T20 league after obtaining British citizenship, Amir himself has denied these rumors. He stated that he will not register his name for the IPL 2027 auction.

According to Cricbuzz, the 34-year-old left-arm fast bowler decided to step away from the upcoming IPL auction. Amir confirmed this in a message sent to Cricbuzz from Dubai, where he explicitly stated: 'No, I will not register for the auction.'

Speculation surrounding his potential IPL appearance intensified after Amir acquired British citizenship in May 2026. This was particularly significant due to restrictions on the participation of Pakistani players in the IPL, making the acquisition of a British passport a key factor for him.

Recently, Amir participated in local T20 competitions in England. He played for Notts Outlaws and The Hundred as part of Nottinghamshire and Trent Rockets, respectively. In these tournaments, he played as a local player, which eliminated the need to occupy an overseas player slot.

Furthermore, Amir registered his name in the Afghan Premier League (APL) draft as a British citizen. He was placed in the platinum division, with his country of residence listed as Pakistan. This raised questions about finding new opportunities for him in franchise cricket.

Amir also confirmed that he will return to the Pakistan Super League (PSL) next year, but this time he will play as an overseas player rather than a Pakistani one.

Mohammad Amir concluded his international cricket career in 2024. For the Pakistan national team, he played 36 Test matches, 61 ODIs, and 62 T20 Internationals. He was part of the Pakistani team that won the T20 World Cup in 2009 and also played a crucial role in Pakistan's victory in the 2017 Cricket World Cup.

After obtaining British citizenship, Amir was compared to former Pakistani all-rounder Azhar Mahmood. Azhar Mahmood played for Kings XI Punjab and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL from 2012 to 2015 after obtaining a British passport. Nevertheless, Amir has decided to refrain from seeking IPL opportunities at this time.