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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today (Saturday) strongly condemned India’s politicization of cricket by preventing international players to participate in the inaugural Kashmir Premier League (KPL).
Taking to Twitter, Foreign Office (FO) Spokesperson Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri has asserted that India’s politicization of cricket cannot be condemned enough.
The spokesperson termed as “unfortunate and regrettable” the reports where Kashmiri players were denied to share the dressing room with renowned cricket players.
India’s politicisation of Cricket cannot be condemned enough. Depriving young Kashmiri players of the opportunity to share dressing room with big names in 🏏 is unfortunate and regrettable.@hershybru @kpl_20 https://t.co/uOgRuMXqln
— Zahid Hafeez Chaudhri (@Zhchaudhri) July 31, 2021
Minister of Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry also slammed the Narendra Modi government on the move. “This isn’t the first time Modi has put cricket on the line to achieve his nefarious aims,” he wrote on Twitter.
“Pressuring Herschelle Gibbs not to participate in the KPL is a continuation of this old practice,” Fawad said while retweeting the South African cricketer who had lashed out at the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).
پہلا موقع نہیں کہ موڈی کی حکومت نے کرکٹ کو اپنی مذموم سیاست کے بھینٹ چڑھایا ہو، ھرشل گبز پر کشمیر لیگ میں حصہ نہ لینے کا دباؤ اس پرانی روش کا تسلسل ہے ہم ان اقدامات کی شدید مذمت کرتے ہیں کشمیر کی جدوجہد کو ایسے اقدامات سے نقصان نہیں فائدہ ہی ہو گا۔ https://t.co/IhI9OLe6u1
— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) July 31, 2021
“We strongly condemn these measures,” the Information Minister said, adding that such measures would only benefit the Kashmir movement instead of weakening it.
The Indian Cricket Board has threatened foreign players through their agents, saying that if they participated in Kashmir Premier League (KPL), the doors of Indian cricket, including the Indian Premier League (IPL), would be closed for them.
Former South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs has accused the BCCI of “trying to prevent” him from participating in the inaugural Kashmir Premier League (KPL) and bringing their “political agenda with Pakistan into the equation”.
Gibbs, who is a part of KPL franchise Overseas Warriors, made the accusation in a tweet, adding that the BCCI has also threatened of denying him entry in India if he participates in the league.
“Completely unnecessary of the BCCI to bring their political agenda with Pakistan into the equation and trying to prevent me playing in the KPL,” the Proteas great said. “[They are] also threatening me saying they won’t allow me entry into India for any cricket related work. Ludicrous.”
