PCB shows displeasure over Board interference in Kashmir league

Four players from England and one each from South Africa and Sri Lanka have refused to play in the KPL ater being pressured by the BCCI

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) on Saturday showed its displeasure over reports of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) calling multiple ICC Members and forcing them to withdraw their retired cricketers from the Kashmir Premier League (KPL).

The PCB also said that the BCCI has once again breached international norms and the spirit of the gentleman’s game by interfering in the internal affairs of the ICC Members as the KPL has been given approval by the Pakistan board.

“The PCB considers that the BCCI has brought the game into disrepute by issuing warnings to multiple ICC Members to stop their retired cricketers from featuring in the Kashmir Premier League, further threatening they will not be allowed entry into India for cricket-related work.

“Such conduct from the BCCI is completely unacceptable, against the preamble of the Spirit of Cricket and sets a dangerous precedence, which can neither be tolerated nor ignored.

“The PCB will raise this mater at the appropriate ICC forum and also reserves the right to take any further action that is available to us within the ICC charter,” read the PCB statement.

Former South Africa international cricketer Herschelle Gibbs accused the Indian cricket board of trying to stop him from participating in a Twenty20 league in Azad Kashmir.

The 47-year-old Gibbs plans to play for the Overseas Warriors in the six-team Kashmir Premier League, which runs from Aug. 6-17 and includes several retired international cricketers.

Tensions have been high between Pakistan and India since New Delhi unilaterally changed the semi-autonomous status of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, which is split between Pakistan and India but claimed by both in its entirety.

Pakistan has reduced diplomatic ties with India since then, vowing there will be no peace talks with India until the 2019 move under which New Delhi divided the Indian-administered part of the Muslim-majority Kashmir into two federally governed territories – Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh – is reversed by the Indian government.

Pakistan also wants Kashmiri people to be given the right to self-determination under a 1948 UN resolution that called for a referendum on whether Kashmiris wanted to merge with Pakistan or India.

Gibbs said in a tweet on Saturday that it was “completely unnecessary” of the Board of Control for Cricket in India “to bring their political agenda with Pakistan into the equation and trying to prevent me playing in the KPL. Also threatening me saying they won’t allow me entry into India for any cricket related work. Ludicrous.”

Several former England international players – Monty Panesar, Mat Prior, Phil Mustard, and Owais Shah – have withdrawn from the KPL.

Before Gibbs, former Pakistan wicket-keeper Rashid Latif claimed that the BCCI was warning cricket boards against allowing their players to take part in the league. “The @BCCI warning cricket boards that if their former players took part in the Kashmir Premier League, they won’t be allowed entry in India or allowed to work in Indian cricket at any level or in any capacity,” said Latif on Twiter.

According to KPL media manager Saqib Abbasi, four players from England and one each from South Africa and Sri Lanka have refused to play in the KPL ater being pressured by the BCCI.

Pakistan’s government also reacted strongly against the BCCI for politicising cricket.

“Depriving young Kashmiri players of the opportunity to share the dressing room with big names in cricket is unfortunate and regretable,” Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri tweeted.