Inzamam-ul-Haq urges global cricket boards to boycott IPL, says 'If you don't release your players...'

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has once again sparked some debate with his latest comments, calling on cricket boards to think twice about sending their players to the Indian Premier League (IPL).

With the ICC Champions Trophy 2025 wrapped up—hosted by Pakistan and won by India—cricketers are now gearing up for IPL 2025. It's worth noting that Pakistan hasn't taken part in the IPL since it first kicked off back in 2008.

Inzamam believes that if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) continues to keep their players from participating in foreign T20 leagues, then other cricket boards should also hold back and not allow their players to join the highly profitable IPL in India.

"Keep the Champions Trophy aside, you look at the IPL where all the top players from around the world take part. But Indian players don’t go to play in other leagues. Hence, all the boards should stop sending their players to the IPL. If you don’t release your players for any league, then shouldn’t other boards take a stance?" Inzamam said on a local news channel in Pakistan.

India's women cricketers have been given a fantastic chance to shine in various international leagues like the BBL, WCPL, and the Hundred, among others. On the flip side, the BCCI has placed restrictions on male cricketers, stopping them from participating in foreign T20 leagues. Men can only join these franchise leagues after they’ve hung up their boots from Indian cricket.

Dinesh Karthik made quite a splash last year when he announced his retirement and then signed on with the Paarl Royals in the SA20 league. Other retired Indian cricket legends, such as Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan, have also jumped into tournaments like GT20 Canada and the Lanka Premier League.

Looking ahead, the IPL 2025 is set to kick off on March 22, which will coincide with the Pakistan Super League (PSL) running from April 11 to May 18.

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