Liam Livingstone expecting ECB clearance for IPL this weekend

Livingstone has not played a competitive game since he injured himself during his Test debut against Pakistan four months back in Rawalpindi, when he hurt his knee. In recent weeks, he has also been suffering from a flare-up of an ankle injury that he had sustained in The Hundred last year, which has kept him out of his side's first two matches.

Kings expect Livingstone to arrive on April 10, a day before their fixture in Hyderabad. Livingstone also expects England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to give him a travel clearance "over the next 48 hours or so".

"I am getting there, finally," Livingstone said on LancsTV's coverage of Lancashire's opening County Championship fixture against Surrey as quoted by ESPNCricinfo.

"It has been a long road: three or four days a week at the gym over the last three or four months. Maybe towards the end of this week, or the start of next week, I'll fly out to India and get going again.

"Feeling much better. I had some injections midway last week. It's settled it down a lot, finally been able to get outside and do some running and get back to proper cricket stuff. That's probably been about four or five days now, so just trying to build back up to match fitness now."

"I got over my ankle to play in the World Cup, then my knee has been a bit of a niggly one. I finally sorted that out and my ankle flared up again. Hopefully, they are both under control now and it will be nice to get back playing finally. It's been a difficult couple of months, but finally, now I am like a little kid wanting to get back playing cricket again," concluded Livingstone.

"Hopefully over the next couple of days, I will get the clearance to head out there. I am really looking forward to getting back out, getting back playing, and hopefully over the next 48 hours or so I will finally get that," said the all-rounder about his clearance.

Livingstone had a great campaign for PBKS in IPL 2022. In 14 matches, he scored 437 runs at an average of 36.41 and a massive strike rate of 182.08. He scored four half-centuries in the tournament with the best score of 70. He also picked up six wickets with his spin bowling. Livingstone has also represented England in 12 ODIs and 29 T20Is, He also has scored the fastest century by an England player in T20Is.

A contract with Livingstone's retention was for INR 11.5 crore (about 1.15 million) after the 2022 season.

The Kings have won their first two games in the IPL 2023, defeating the Rajasthan Royals in Guwahati and the Kolkata Knight Riders in Mohali. In both games, the Kings fielded the same four foreign players: Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sikandar Raza, Sam Curran, and Nathan Ellis.

Kagiso Rabada has arrived in India this week and will be available for Sunday's match in Hyderabad, while Matt Short - who replaced the injured Jonny Bairstow in Kings' squad - is the other overseas player in the squad. Franchises are allowed to have up to eight overseas players in their squad, but the Kings signed only seven for 2023.

Bhanuka Rajapaksa retired hurt on Wednesday night after he was struck on the forearm by a shot from Shikhar Dhawan, while standing at the non-striker's end, but should be available on Sunday if required. He tweeted later that night: "The X-rays have cleared me of any broken bones/fractures! Plenty of ice needed but I am doing fine," concluded Rajapaksa. (ANI)