Arif Malik, BCCI’s warnings actually helped KPL

ISLAMABAD: Arif Malik, the president of the Kashmir Premier League (KPL), congratulated the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday, stating that the BCCI’s antics had benefited the league rather than hurting it.

“Thanks to the BCCI,” said Arif Malik, speaking on the Replay show on Dawn News. He stated: “This board is a mafia and is considered a terror in the world. Not only are they stopping the cricketers [from playing in the tournament], they are preventing our production crew from arriving [to cover the event].”

Before the entire controversy with the BCCI began, the KPL chief expressed concern about the league’s marketing, stating that the KPL currently has enormous social media popularity.

In response to a question, Malik stated that he was receiving calls from cricket boards all over the world, who were now interested in learning more about the KPL.

The BCCI’s “Hue and cry” has secured the KPL’s success even before it begins, he said, adding that his staff has put in a lot of effort and attention to the league.

Despite being cautioned by the BCCI not to participate in the KPL, he claimed that former South African batsman Herschelle Gibbs and Sri Lanka’s Dilshan have consented to play.

He added that the former “will be here soon,” without specifying a date because of security concerns.

“Even our lives should be readily available” for an event like the KPL, Malik stated, adding that sentiments should be prioritized before workload management.

Aalia Rasheed, a sports journalist, concurred with the KPL president, stating that the BCCI had unknowingly helped promote the cricket league and generate excitement about it around the world in its attempt to block it.

While discouraging the international players from participating in the Kashmir Premier League, @BCCI has actually given the said T20 league a much needed hype! The organisers of the @kpl_20 must be obliged.😃😜

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— Aalia Rasheed (@aaliaaaliya) August 2, 2021

In her tweet, she wrote: “While discouraging the international players from participating in the Kashmir Premier League, @BCCI has actually given the said T20 league a much-needed hype! The organizers of the @kpl_20 must be obliged.”

She responded to a social media user by asking why the BCCI went to such lengths to prevent Monty Panesar, Gibbs, and Dilshan from participating in the KPL if they were washed-up players.

Concerned about the KPL’s hosting in Pakistan, the BCCI issued a warning to foreign cricket boards last week for permitting its players to participate in the tournament.

Several foreign cricketers withdrew from the event, which is due to begin on August 6, after receiving threats from the Indian cricket board.

The KPL president, on the other hand, stated that the event will take on as planned, with Pakistani cricketers taking part.

Monty Panesar, Matt Prior, Phil Mustard, Owais Shah, and Tenu Best are the six overseas cricketers who have withdrawn from the KPL.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has expressed dissatisfaction with the International Cricket Council (ICC) summoning some ICC members and compelling them to remove their former cricketers from the Kashmir Premier League.

“The PCB believes 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 approved by the PCB,” According to a statement released by the cricket board on Saturday,

“The 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 behavior by the BCCI is entirely unacceptable, since it goes against the spirit of cricket’s preamble, and establishes a terrible precedent that must be condoned or disregarded, according to the statement.

“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.”

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