West Indies’ Twenty20 stars could find themselves excluded from this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), if a plan by some stakeholders goes forward which would allow the lucrative tournament to come off in spite of the growing threat from the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

The IPL was scheduled to start March 29 but was delayed until April 15 following a March 14 meeting of the Indian cricket board BBCI.

However, India is currently under a 21-day nation-wide lockdown which ends April 15, further putting in doubt the start of the tournament.

And with fears growing the campaign may have to be cancelled altogether, Rajasthan royals executive chairman Ranjit Barthakur says one of the options on the table was a scaled down tournament without international stars.

Such a move would mean that superstars like West Indies white-ball captain Kieron Pollard and veteran opener Chris Gayle would miss out on the tournament.

Pollard represents reigning champions Mumbai Indians while Gayle, the most successful batsman in T20 history, turns out for Kings Eleven Punjab.

Left-handers Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer, all-rounders Andre Russell, Keemo Paul, Dwayne Bravo and Fabian Allen, along with fast bowlers Sheldon Cottrell and Oshane Thomas, and off-spinner Sunil Narine, all campaign in the IPL.