IPL or PSL? BCCI considered giving foreign players a choice between two leagues - Report
In the wake of the Pulwama terror attack, the cricketing ties between India and Pakistan have worsened. The ghastly attack on CRPF convoy in Jammu and Kashmir's Pulwama was conducted by a Pakistan based terrorist outfit Jaish-e-Mohammad which saw 40 soldiers getting martyred. In response to the attack, there have been huge calls for boycotting and cornering Pakistan in world cricket. The BCCI was contemplating the idea of giving foreign players a binary choice between Indian Premier League and the Pakistan Premier League, however, the idea was later dropped after a lot of deliberation.
As per a report in Indian Express, the BCCI was planning to isolate Pakistan by giving the foreign players, who take part in both ISL and PSL a choice to participate in only one of the two leagues. The members of the Committee of Administrators (CoA) — Vinod Rai, Diana Edulji and Lieutenant General Ravi Thodge along with BCCI CEO Rahul Johri conducted a meeting on Monday where the matter was discussed.
The conclusion drawn out after the discussion was that it will be inappropriate to ask the foreign players to choose between ISL and PSL as it was the IPL franchises and not the BCCI who buy the players and acquire their services for the league. A green signal to the move could have seen a host of cricket superstars like Dwayne Bravo, Sunil Narine, Andre Russell and AB de Villiers, who are currently plying their trade in the ongoing PSL 2019, get barred from playing the upcoming edition of the IPL.
The attack was carried out by a suicide bomber identified as Adil Ahmed Dar of the JeM. An explosive-laden SUV rammed into a bus carrying the soldiers on the Jammu Srinagar highway. The attack shook the whole nation with several former cricketers demanding Pakistan clash at the World Cup to be boycotted.
BCCI also wrote to the ICC requesting the member nations to cut off ties with Pakistan for harbouring terrorists. However, it seems unlikely that Pakistan will be banned from taking part in the showpiece event. However, clouds of uncertainties hover over the India-Pakistan World Cup clash on June 16 in Old Trafford, Manchester as BCCI has clarified that the board will stand with government's decision on the matter.
Earlier, DSport the official broadcaster of the PSL in India had blocked the telecast of the league to protest against the terror attack.