After the 2008 Mumbai terrorist attacks, Indian and Pakistani cricketers played as teammates rather than opponents, and Indian and Pakistani cricketers played the prospect of more such moments as teammates rather than opponents. The attacks carried out by Pakistani terrorist groups shocked India and brought the two countries to the brink of war. After that, Pakistani players were banned from participating in the IPL, a restriction that remains in the last 15 versions of the tournament.
Since then, India and Pakistan have not participated in the bilateral series. This gap is further apparent in the recently concluded championship trophy, initially scheduled for Pakistan. India refused to travel due to concerns about safety, which led to a hybrid mode, with some competitions at Dubai neutral. A similar situation is expected in the upcoming Asian Cup, with Sri Lanka likely to become a neutral location for the Pakistani match.
The unstoppable rise of a giant
Since its inception in 2008, IPL has grown into the most popular and richest cricket league in the world. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s cricket landscape faces major challenges. Once worried about its deadly bowling attacks, including legends like Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram and Shoaib Akhtar, as well as batting superstars such as Inzamam-ul-Haq, Younis Khan, Joved Miandad and Saeed Anwar, Saeed Anwar, Pakistan Cricket, seem to have lost their route and dominance.
The rise of IPL has played a key role in cricket success in India as it provides a platform for many upcoming cricketers to demonstrate their skills and make a lot of money. Many former and present Pakistani players have acknowledged the league’s influence. Inspired by the success of IPL, the Pakistan Cricket Council launched its own franchise T20 League Pakistan Super League (PSL) in 2015. While PSL gained decent appeal and became the second most popular league in the subcontinent, it still lags behind the IPL and is far behind the IPL in terms of financial scale and global reach.
Lost a chance to gold
Several Pakistani cricketers expressed their desire to participate in the IPL. Fast bowler Hasan Ali asserted: “Every player wants to play in the IPL, which is what I hope to play there. It’s one of the biggest leagues in the world and I’ll definitely accept it if I have a chance in the future.”
Former Pakistani spinner Danish Kaneria praised BCCI’s management of player workload in IPL, saying: “I believe the IPL franchise will support the idea of prioritizing Indian cricket and will work with BCCI and NCA in workload management.”
Former Pakistani batsman Basit Ali impressed by India’s main T20I victory over Bangladesh in October last year, “Is this Bangladesh team, with the Bangladesh team that painted Pakistan? India’s spare XI, full of IPL stars, makes them look like an appetite-boosting stomach.”
A solid foundation
Former Pakistani all-rounder and former captain Shahid Afridi praised the Indian Premier League (IPL) for revolutionizing Indian cricket. “I think IPL turns around to Indian cricket. After the young Indian players play with top foreign cricketers and share the locker room with them, they will be ready when they enter international cricket. They are ready to deal with this level of pressure,” Afridi said.
Former Pakistan’s best batsman Salman Butt responded to similar views in an online interview, calling IPL one of the best leagues in the world. He stressed that its quality is still unparalleled and is constantly improving every season.
Meanwhile, Shoaib Akhtar, who was once the fastest bowler in the world, also praised the impact of IPL on cricket. Akhtar spoke on a TV show, highlighting the efficiency of the Indian cricket system. He noted that despite the IPL organized by the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI), the team is managed by the franchise, which plays a crucial role in its success.
“The reason IPL is so popular is because it blends entertainment with cricket perfectly, creating high demand and engagement,” Akhtar said. “BCCI has invested heavily, and effective marketing strategies help to increase its appeal. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) should draw inspiration from this model,” Akhtar said.
However, not all reactions are positive. Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq urged the International Cricket Committee to boycott the IPL, criticizing BCCI for refusing to allow Indian players to participate in other leagues. “If BCCI does not release its players for the overseas league, other boards should stand up and stop sending their players to the IPL,” he said.
Despite such criticism, the IPL continues to flourish, with its 18th season starting on March 22, which includes an opening match between the Kolkata Knight Rider and Royal Challenger Bengaluru. Regardless of political tensions, the league remains a wonder of global cricket, thus enhancing India’s dominance in the world cricket game.
