India asks Sri Lanka not to recall IPL stars

India urged Sri Lanka to reconsider a decision to recall their players midway through the Indian Premier League in the latest clash with the sport’s international schedule.

Sri Lankan cricketers playing for various IPL franchises have been ordered to return home by May 5, more than three weeks before the end of the money-spinning Twenty20 tournament, to prepare for an upcoming tour of England.

Sri Lanka’s tour starts with a warm-up game on May 14 before the first Test at Cardiff on May 26.

“According to us, the Sri Lankan players were to stay here till May 21 as they had promised and the franchises are also under the same impression,” the Indian cricket board’s vice-president Rajiv Shukla told reporters.

“But now they want to go back early and it is not appropriate.”

Shukla said the Indian board would try to convince Sri Lanka Cricket to reverse their decision.