BCCI threatening players for participating in KPL ‘unacceptable’: PCB

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has criticised the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after reports emerged of players receiving threats for participating in the inaugural edition of the Kashmir Premier League (KPL).

Former South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs shared on Twitter that the BCCI is threatening him for participating in the KPL.

Earlier, the league’s Director Cricket Operations Taimoor Khan, in a video posted on KPL’s official Twitter account, also confirmed reports regarding BCCI’s threat.

In a statement released on Saturday, the PCB criticised the ‘unacceptable’ actions of the BCCI.

“The PCB has expressed its displeasure over reports that the BCCI has called multiple ICC Members and forced them to withdraw their retired cricketers from the KPL,” said the statement. “The PCB believes the BCCI has once again breached international norms and the spirit of the gentleman’s game by interfering in internal affairs of the ICC Members as the KPL has been approved by the PCB.

“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 KPL, 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 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.”