‘Why This Fuss Is All About,” Shoaib Akhtar On BCCI Threats To Foreign Players For KPL

The former pacer has also been appointed as Peace Ambassador for Kashmir Premier League (KPL) which is due to start on August 6.

RAWALPINDI: (UrduPoint/UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News-August 2^nd, 2021) Former Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar said that he was appointed as the Peace Ambassador for the upcoming Kashmir Premier League (KPL) amid KPL’s row with the BCCI.

Shoaib Akhtar who is known as Rawalpindi Express expressed surprise the fuss is all about between KPL and BCCI.

“The main aim of this tournament is only to promote peace,” said Akhtar, questioning that why the BCCI had made it an issue.

He tweeted: “Why such a fuss between @kpl_20 & BCCI. It’s about building bridges and promoting peace. Really appreciate all of you for the trend #ShoaibAkhtarPeaceAmbassador.

He also tweeted: “So I'll be joining as Peace Ambassador for KPL,”.

Last week, BCCI had threatened foreign players against going and playing KPL. The Indian board politicized the cricket as it warned all the cricket boards regarding joining their players’ joining of KPL.

As a result, many of the foreign cricketers withdrew from the event which is all set to begin on August 6.

“The tournament will go ahead as scheduled,” said KPL President Arif Malik, adding that the Pakistani cricketers will fully take part.

Indian board, the sources said, had threatened the foreign players through their agents.

“If the foreign players went to Kashmir to play KPL the doors of IPL will be closed for them,” the BCCI had said.

Six foreign players including Panesar, Matt Prior, Phil Mustard, Owais Shah, Tenu Best and Monty Panser excused themselves from the cricket.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) expressed displeasure over intereference and politicization 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.

The PCB believed that the BCCI had 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 approved by the PCB, the statement from Pakistan's cricket board had said.

“PCB considers 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 statement had said.

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