Pakistanis on social media are outraged after BCCI decided that cricketers who participate in the Kashmir Premier League in Pakistan will not be permitted to enter India for cricket related work. The controversy had erupted after Herschelle Gibbs, former South Indian cricketer, claimed that he was informed of the same following his decision to participate in the cricket league.
Pakistanis claim that every cricket board is now a puppet of BCCI.
Some are calling it a ‘shameful act’.
While the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) claims that the Kashmir Premier League has nothing to do with politics and accuses BCCI of politicising cricket, Pakistanis state explicitly that the tournament is related to Pakistani delusions involving Kashmir.
It’s not just ordinary citizens of Pakistan who are suffering a meltdown over the BCCI stand on the matter. Former cricketers and politicians have jumped into the issue as well. Shahid Afridi claims that BCCI is mixing cricket and politics.
Masood Khan, president of Pakistan-occupied-Kashmir, accused India of tyranny and declared far more boisterously than behoves his station, “Back off India!”
Shahzad Waseem, leader of the House in Pakistani Senate, claimed that “India is now promoting its hatred and prejudice in sports as well.”
Following the controversy, the Pakistani Cricket Board (PCB) accused the Indian cricketing Board of bringing disrepute to the ‘gentleman’s game.’ While threatening to take the matter up with the International Cricket Council (ICC), it said, “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.”
A BCCI official had told Indian Express, “While asking the boards not to allow their players to take part in the Kashmir league, we have informed them that in case they do, they can’t be part of any cricketing activity in India. We have done this keeping national interest in mind…We have no problems with those playing the Pakistan Super League (PSL) but this is a league in PoK. We are toeing our government’s line.”
