PCB blames BCCI for forcing player withdrawals from Kashmir Premier League

The Pakistan Cricket Board has slammed the BCCI over reports that it has called multiple ICC Members and forced them to withdraw their retired cricketers from the Kashmir Premier League (KPL). The KPL is scheduled to start from August 6 in Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir and will be contested by six teams.

Earlier on Saturday, former South Africa opener Herschelle Gibbs alleged that BCCI secretary Jay Shah had sent a message to Cricket South Africa chief Graeme Smith warning him off consequences.

Completely unnecessary of the @BCCI to bring their political agenda with Pakistan into the equation and trying to prevent me playing in the @kpl_20 . Also threatening me saying they won’t allow me entry into India for any cricket related work. Ludicrous 🙄

— Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) July 31, 2021

“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," PCB said in an official statement. 

"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,” it added.

Former Pakistan keeper Rashid Latif also accused the BCCI of forcing player withdrawals from the KPL.

"The @BCCI warning cricket boards that if there former players took part in Kashmir Premier League, they won’t be allowed entry in India or allowed to work in Indian cricket at any level or in any capacity," Latif tweeted.

The @BCCI warning cricket boards that if there former players took part in Kashmir Premier League, they won’t be allowed entry in India or allowed to work in Indian cricket at any level or in any capacity.
Gibbs, Dilshan, @MontyPanesar & several others have been selected in KPL.

— Rashid (@iRashidLatif68) July 30, 2021

Taimoor Khan, director of cricket operations for KPL, assured that the league go forward as scheduled while admitting that he was aware of the threats players were getting.

Director Cricket Operations, @CRICKTKHAN, issues an official statement regarding the ongoing news on foreign players’ participation in KPL’s inaugural season.

We assure you that KPL will go ahead as planned from August 6th to August 17th, 2021. #KheloAazadiSe #SRGKPL #KPL21 pic.twitter.com/4xfareeorp

— Kashmir Premier League (Official) (@kpl_20) July 30, 2021

"It has happened, the proof has come out and it’s all really very strange,” Khan told Al Jazeera. “There were messages sent to England’s cricketers too. We’ve been told that the players were warned they won’t be allowed to travel to India again if they take part in the KPL."