Many New Zealand cricketers have opted out of the international schedule to play the UAE leg of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021. Also, the New Zealand cricket board has allowed the cricketers to skip the international games. Meanwhile, former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq and batsman Salman Butt have expressed their disappointment on this matter.
While talking about this matter Salman Butt said IPL is the biggest league in the World and every cricketer plays the League other than Pakistan cricketers. He also believes that BCCI has power and they are ruling the cricket.
New Zealand to tour Pakistan in 2021. A country with rich cricket culture and passionate cricket fans. Cricket wins again in Pakistan. #Cricket
— Daniel Alexander (@daniel86cricket) August 5, 2021
“It’s a known fact that the IPL is the world’s biggest league. Interestingly, other than Pakistan players, all other cricketers will take part in the league. Major teams don’t play international cricket during IPL time. Now, Pakistan has a series with NZ during the IPL and eight NZ players have already opted out of the series to play in the IPL. The BCCI has the power and, they are ruling cricket currently,” Butt said.
Further, Salman Butt stated that players prefer IPL over international cricket which he feels is wrong. Also, he said Pakistan always gets targeted. Butt asserted:
“The current trend is that players are opting for IPL and not international cricket. That’s actually a very bad trend. Pakistan is only getting targeted always. Pakistan should convincingly defeat New Zealand so that their board will get to know the importance of top players’ absence in the squad.”
What is the ICC doing? Inzamam-ul-Haq also slams ICC
Former Pakistan skipper Inzamam-ul-Haq was very upset after seeing New Zealand players opting out of the Pakistan series. Also, he bashed ICC for the silence in this matter. Inzamam-ul-Haq said:
“Wherever the Pakistan team is going, they are not getting a chance to play against the main players. When we went to South Africa in April, they sent their players for the IPL. With the upcoming NZ series in Pakistan, eight NZ players have opted out of the tour to play IPL. Even in the recent England tour, the whole England team got changed due to COVID-19 in the camp,” Inzamam stated on his Youtube channel.
“I feel that the Pakistan team is not getting proper practice because they are not getting to play against the main players. What is the ICC doing? What message are they trying to give? Players are giving importance to private leagues and not international cricket. It’s like degrading international cricket. If you see the whole sequence, it’s happening only against Pakistan,” he added.
