India opposes Kashmir Premiere League in ICC. The BCCI has written to the ICC urging it to not recognize the Kashmir Premier League (KPL), the Pakistan domestic T20 tournament which is due to begin on August 6. The first edition of league itself is set to begin on 6th August until 16th August 2021.
The PCB expressed its unhappiness over what it considered the BCCI’s attempts to interfere in the PCB’s internal affairs. That was based on reports that the BCCI had been in touch with a number of other Full Members to try and prevent players from those countries from appearing in the league.
Herschelle Gibbs, the former South Africa opener, who is expected to play in the league, said on Twitter that he had been threatened that he wouldn’t be allowed entry “into India for any cricket related work. Ludicrous.”
Approval for such domestic leagues is given by the Full Member country in which the tournament is being played, and not the ICC, and the KPL has the PCB’s approval. There is also nothing in any ICC regulations about matches in disputed territories.
What is Kashmir Premiere League?
The KPL is a six-team franchise-model league, PCB-approved, and to be played at the Muzaffarabad cricket stadium in Pakistan-administered Kashmir from August 6. Squads were selected in a draft last month and, according to the organisers, would be captained by Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Hafeez, Kamran Akmal and Shadab Khan.
The opposition is coming due to the long standing issue of Kashmir between India and Pakistan. Both the countries claim the Himalayan region as part of their territory. These matches are being arranged in the Pakistani administered Kashmir. And thus, Indian side is creating the issues for international players to avoid any significant global coverage to the Kashmir cause.
