IPL Held Responsible for Pakistan's Champions Trophy Setback and Poor Performance in New Zealand
9 days ago | 5 Views
As the Indian Premier League (IPL) continues to thrive, Pakistan cricket finds itself in a state of decline. The era when Pakistan was known as 'The Unpredictables' seems long gone, and they are no longer regarded as a formidable force in the subcontinent. Their cricketing performance has deteriorated significantly; they have not secured an ICC tournament victory since the 2017 Champions Trophy, and they have suffered defeats against teams like Zimbabwe and Afghanistan. Off the field, issues such as the abrupt dismissals of coaches and captains have exacerbated the situation, leading to a crisis so profound that former players like Jason Gillespie and Gary Kirsten might feel fortunate to have avoided involvement with the Pakistan cricket setup.
Although the IPL and Pakistan cricket are fundamentally different, a former captain has drawn a connection between the two. Rashid Latif, the ex-wicketkeeper, believes that the decline of Pakistan cricket is partly due to the BCCI's refusal to allow its players to participate in the IPL. Since the Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, cricketers from Pakistan have been barred from playing in the Indian Premier League, and this ban has only become more entrenched over the past 17 years.
Latif acknowledges the advantages that the IPL provides, asserting that Pakistan is falling behind other leading teams that benefit from the unparalleled exposure gained by competing in the league for two months in India.
He stated, "When you observe countries like New Zealand, the West Indies, and South Africa, their players have come to the IPL and faced the best in the world. You have top bowlers like Pat Cummins, Jofra Archer, and Kagiso Rabada challenging you, which raises the level of competition and offers invaluable learning experiences in high-quality facilities," as reported by NDTV.
Latif further compared the situation to football, noting that teams like Manchester United and Real Madrid are synonymous with top-tier facilities, making it difficult for players to leave such prestigious environments. He emphasized that participating in the IPL represents an opportunity to engage with the best league available.
Pakistan in IPL
The only time Pakistan's cricketers were part of the IPL was during its inaugural season. Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Akhtar, Kamran Akmal, Shoaib Malik, Mohammad Asif, Younis Khan were some of the prominent figures from Pakistan in the first-ever edition in 2008, with Sohail Tanvir emerging as the Purple Cap winner with 22 wickets in 11 matches.
Latif also pointed out how teams like Afghanistan, once considered minnows, have benefitted from playing the IPL. They have earned the tag of giant killers and have defeated teams like England – twice – and South Africa to punch above their weight on more than one occasion. BCCI even offered a stadium in Greater Noida to Afghanistan to train in as their home ground away from home.
"Afghanistan's rise has also been through IPL, after Rashid Khan they have brought in Noor Ahmad, Azmatullah Omarzai and Fazalhaq Farooqi – they have caused instant impact on the national level as well," he mentioned.
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