Kashmir Digits

India’s cricket governing body BCCI has reportedly warned cricket boards worldwide against participation in in the Kashmir Premier League (KPL).

According to a report by Daily Jang, citing sources, BCCI has threatened foreign players that their participation in KPL would result in doors to Indian cricket and Indian Premier League closing on them for good.

What is KPL?

Kashmir Premier League (KPL) is a cricket tournament scheduled to start from August 6 in Muzaffarabad and will be contested by six teams captained by Pakistan’s current and former cricketers – Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Shoaib Malik, Fakhar Zaman, Shadab Khan and Imad Wasim.

Six foreign players have been selected to play in the inaugural edition of the league, including former Proteas player Herschelle Gibbs, former skipper of Sri Lanka, Tillakaratne Dilshan, and four former England cricketers, Owais Shah, Matt Prior, Phil Mustard and Monty Panesar.

Complaint by players.

On Saturday, former South African cricketer Herschelle Gibbs tweeted that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) warned him against taking part in the league which has been sanctioned by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

“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,” Gibbs said on Twitter.

Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif also alleged that the BCCI was warning cricket boards against allowing their players to take part in the tournament.

BCCI Threat

BCCI has threatened foreign players that their participation in KPL would mean they won’t be able to take part in anything related to cricket in India in future.

Taimoor Khan, director of cricket operations for KPL, said that the league was aware of the threats and warnings issued to players via their agents.

An email from an England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) licensed agent sent to Khan, and seen by Al Jazeera, alleged that a BCCI official called up the ECB and warned that, in addition to travel restrictions, the participating cricketers will not be “allowed to work in anything Indian cricket related”.