The Vitality T20 Blast Finals Day 2025 is set for Saturday at Edgbaston, but the big stage is missing some of its biggest stars. The long break between the group stages and knockout rounds has led to many overseas players leaving and several England and South Africa players being unavailable due to international duty.
Why the Scheduling Is a Problem
This year’s tournament started in late May and stretched for more than 15 weeks. The quarter-finals and Finals Day were pushed to September so counties could sell more tickets. But the long gap means top players are either back with their domestic teams or away on international tours.
Lancashire captain Keaton Jennings called the scheduling “absolutely ludicrous,” pointing out that no other T20 league in the world has such a big break before the final stages. The ECB has already confirmed that next year’s Finals Day will move to July 18, 2026, right before The Hundred begins, with a new group format also being introduced.
Who’s Missing?
- Lancashire: Without Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Saqib Mahmood, Luke Wood (England duty), and overseas stars Chris Green (CPL) and Ashton Turner (domestic season in Australia).
- Somerset: Missing Riley Meredith (Tasmania), Matt Henry (New Zealand), and Tom Banton (England). Only South African allrounder Migael Pretorius is available.
- Hampshire: Missing Liam Dawson (England), Dewald Brevis and Lhuan-dre Pretorius (South Africa), and Hilton Cartwright (Australia). But they do have Chris Lynn and Bjorn Fortuin available.
- Northamptonshire: Considered underdogs but have both overseas options available – Tim Robinson (NZ) and Lloyd Pope (Australia). South Africa’s Matthew Breetzke will miss out due to family reasons.
Overseas Players Still Available at Finals Day
- Somerset: Migael Pretorius (South Africa)
- Lancashire: None
- Hampshire: Chris Lynn (Australia), Bjorn Fortuin (South Africa)
- Northamptonshire: Tim Robinson (New Zealand), Lloyd Pope (Australia)
What’s at Stake?
- Hampshire are chasing a record fourth title and a white-ball double.
- Lancashire haven’t won since 2015 and could be forced to debut young talent like spinner Arav Shetty.
- Somerset are hit by unavailability but still have depth.
- Northamptonshire are the dark horses, boosted by their upset at The Oval last week.
Conclusion
While Finals Day remains one of the most exciting fixtures in the English cricket calendar, the absence of key stars has undeniably taken some shine off the spectacle. Fans will hope the new schedule from 2026 brings back the star power that the tournament deserves.
About the Author
