Inzamam urges cricket boards to boycott IPL over BCCI’s player policy

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has called on cricket boards worldwide to stop sending their players to the Indian Premier League (IPL) in response to the Board of Control for Cricket in India's (BCCI) policy of barring Indian men's cricketers from competing in overseas T20 leagues.

While Indian women's cricketers, including Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Harmanpreet Kaur, have played in tournaments like the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL), the Hundred, and the Women's Caribbean Premier League (WCPL), their male counterparts are restricted from participating in foreign franchise leagues.

Speaking on a Pakistani news channel, Inzamam questioned why other boards continue to release their players for the IPL when Indian players do not feature in other leagues.

"Put the Champions Trophy aside—just look at the IPL, where all the top players from around the world participate. But Indian players don't go to other leagues. If the BCCI doesn't release its players, then shouldn't other boards take a stance and stop sending theirs?" Inzamam said.

Currently, Indian cricketers can only play in foreign leagues after retiring from international and domestic cricket. Dinesh Karthik, who retired last year, featured for the Paarl Royals in the SA20. Similarly, former players like Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan have participated in tournaments like GT20 Canada and the Lanka Premier League post-retirement.

The IPL 2025 is set to begin on 22 march, with defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders facing Royal Challengers Bengaluru at Eden Gardens. The Pakistan Super League (PSL) will run concurrently, from 11 april to 18 may, with its trophy unveiled in Karachi's coastal waters on Thursday.