Over the past few weeks, the Indian and Pakistan cricket boards are in a tussle over the scheduling of Asia Cup and the ODI World Cup; while the continental tournament is scheduled in Pakistan, India will host the marquee global event in October-November later this year. Earlier this month, there were reports suggesting that India might play their Asia Cup matches at a neutral venue; however, there has been no confirmation on whether Pakistan will travel to their neighbouring nation for the World Cup.
Amid the tensions between the BCCI and the PCB over the same, former Pakistan captain Imran Khan – who also served as Prime Minster of the country between 2018-2022 – lashed out at the Indian cricket board, alleging it to be ‘arrogant’ and behaving like a ‘superpower’.
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Imran stated that the BCCI “dictate” world cricket and also commented on the absence of Pakistan stars in the Indian Premier League, the country’s major T20 league.
“It is a sad and unfortunate affair, the relationship between Pakistan and India. There is a lot of arrogance in the way India now behaves in the cricketing world as a superpower. Because of their ability to generate a lot of funds, more than any other country, I think they almost dictate now as a sort of the arrogance of a super power of who they should play and who they shouldn’t,” Imran told Times Radio on Friday, as quoted by Cricket Pakistan.
“I find it strange that the Indian cricket board should take it out on the Pakistan cricket players [by not allowing them to feature in the IPL] and it just reeks of arrogance,” he said.
Imran also sent a message to young Pakistan cricketers to “not worry” about their non-participation in the IPL.
“If India doesn’t allow Pakistan to play IPL then Pakistan should not worry about it because Pakistan itself has quality young cricketers,” Imran said.
The 2023 edition of the Indian Premier League begins on Friday with defending champions Gujarat Titans taking on MS Dhoni’s Chennai Super Kings in Ahmedabad. The Pakistan Super League, meanwhile, concluded earlier this month when Shaheen Afridi’s Lahore Qalandars winning a second-successive title.
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