BCCI preventing me from playing in Kashmir Premier League, says Herschelle Gibbs – Former South Africa batsman Herschelle Gibbs has alleged that the Board of Control for Cricket In India (BCCI) is threatening and doing everything possible to prevent him from playing the Kashmir Premier League. Gibbs made the allegations public on his Twitter account. Earlier Pakistan’s Rashid Latif also made the same allegation.
Gibbs took to Twitter on Saturday to made his allegation public. He wrote, “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 🙄.”
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 🙄
— Herschelle Gibbs (@hershybru) July 31, 2021
Later, Gibbs told SportsKeeda that the person issuing the threat was BCCI Secretary Jay Shah. “It came from Mr Shah. The message was sent to Graeme smith who passed it on to me,” he said. Gibbs is a part of KPL franchise Overseas Warriors.
Earlier former Pakistan cricketer Rashid Latif also said that BCCI is warning cricket boards that if their players took part in KPL then they won’t be allowed to enter India.
“The @BCCI warning cricket boards that if their former players took part in Kashmir Premier League, they won’t be allowed entry in India or allowed to work in Indian cricket at any level or in any capacity. Gibbs, Dilshan, @MontyPanesar & several others have been selected in KPL,” Latif had said.
What is Kashmir Premier League?
The Kashmir Premier League is a T-20 cricket league founded in 2021.The league consists of six teams: five teams representing the cities in the Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir. One team representing overseas Kashmiris.
The KPL is accredited by the Pakistan Cricket Board, a permanent member of the International Cricket Council, the Government of Jammu & Kashmir and the Government of Punjab, Pakistan. The league was initially scheduled to start in May 2021. However, the Pakistan Cricket Board moved the time window for its start to August 2021, as the 2021 Pakistan Super League was not completed yet. On 14th June 2021, KPL announced its diamond category.
Teams play in a double round-robin format with the top four teams qualifying for the playoffs and ultimately the championship game called the KPL Cup Final. The matches in KPL will not have official T20 status. The first edition of the league itself is set to begin on 6th August until 16th August 2021.
Each team will have five local Kashmiri players. They will play with Pakistan’s international stars in the first edition. From the second edition onward, global stars will also join the KPL.
According to a KPL Official website, the following are teams of the Kashmir Premier League:
- Overseas Warriors
- Muzaffarabad Tigers
- Rawalakot Hawks
- Bagh Stallions
- Mirpur Royals
- Kotli Lions
