Pakistan, May 14 -- The return of South African cricketers from the Indian Premier League (IPL) ahead of the World Test Championship (WTC) final remains uncertain. Cricket South Africa (CSA) had initially set a May 26 deadline for players to rejoin the national squad, but that directive appears to be softening amid ongoing discussions between CSA and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

CSA's Director of Cricket, Enoch Nkwe, clarified on May 14 that the matter is still under negotiation at a higher level. "We want the Test players back on the 26th, but the decision will ultimately be made between the two boards," he said. This leaves open the possibility that players may stay with their IPL franchises beyond the originally p...