Cape Town - The Proteas have returned home from the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) to prepare for their tour to England and the ICC Champions Trophy.
According to the Mumbai Mirror website, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) asked Cricket South Africa (CSA) to extend their players' participation in the 10th edition of the IPL, but CSA has stuck to their original deadline.
Eight Proteas players participated in this year's IPL - Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada for the Delhi Daredevils, Hashim Amla and David Miller for the Kings XI Punjab, Faf du Plessis and Imran Tahir for the Rising Pune Supergiant, and AB de Villiers and Tabraiz Shamsi for the Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The Pune Supergiant's will feel the effects of Tahir's absence in particular as they have relied on the legspinner - their leading wicket-taker - to see them into the playoffs, which start on Tuesday, May 16.
Tahir has taken 18 wickets in his 12 IPL games and currently stands second overall for the purple cap (most wickets).
The Kings XI, who still have an outside chance of qualifing for the playoffs, will have to do so without their leading run-scorer Hashim Amla, who became the third IPL batsman to score more than two centuries in a season.
Amla has scored 420 runs in his 10 games at an average of 60.00.
The Delhi Daredevils, who are out of the reckoning for a playoff spot, will miss the Proteas bowling duo of Chris Morris and Kagiso Rabada - who have taken 12 and six wickets, respectively.
The playoffs will be without South Africans and English cricketers, while the Australians, West Indians and New Zealanders will be available until the final game on Sunday, May 21.
The Proteas play England in a three-match ODI series in their build-up to the ICC Champions Trophy.
South Africa won the inaugural ICC tournament in Dhaka, Bangladesh in 1998, when it was known as the ICC Knock-Out.
De Villiers and his charges are in Group B alongside India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan.
The Proteas kick off their ICC Champions Trophy campaign against Sri Lanka on Saturday, June 3 at The Oval in London.
South Africa's one-day tour to the UK:
Friday, May 19, 1-day Tour match v Sussex (D/N) The County Ground, Hove
Sunday, May 21, 1-day Tour match v Northants Northampton
ODIs:
Wednesday, May 24, 1st ODI (D/N) Headingley, Leeds
Saturday, May 27, 2nd ODI Ageas Bowl, Southampton
Monday, May 29, 3rd ODI Lord’s, London
ICC Champions Trophy:
Saturday, June 3 - Sri Lanka v South Africa, The Oval
Wednesday, June 7 - Pakistan v South Africa, Edgbaston
Sunday, June 11 - India v South Africa, The Oval
Wednesday, June 14 - First semi-final (A1 v B2), Cardiff
Thursday, June 15 - Second semi-final (A2 v B1), Edgbaston
Sunday, June 18 - Final, The Oval
Proteas ODI squad for three-match ODI series against England and ICC Champions Trophy:
Hashim Amla (Cape Cobras), Quinton de Kock - wicketkeeper (Titans), Faf du Plessis (Titans), AB de Villiers - captain (Titans), JP Duminy (Cape Cobras), David Miller (Knights), Chris Morris (Titans), Wayne Parnell (Cape Cobras), Andile Phehlukwayo (Dolphins), Kagiso Rabada (Highveld Lions), Imran Tahir (Dolphins), Dwaine Pretorius (Highveld Lions), Keshav Maharaj (Dolphins), Farhaan Behardien (Titans), Morne Morkel (Titans)
A disappointing #IPL2017. Some tough lessons learnt that we take in to next year! Happy to be home with the family before the #CT17 in June.
— AB de Villiers (@ABdeVilliers17) May 8, 2017