Inzamam-ul-Haq urges global cricket boards to boycott IPL
What's the story
Former Pakistan captain, Inzamam-ul-Haq, has urged international cricket boards to pull out their players from the Indian Premier League (IPL).
His appeal stems from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)'s refusal to release its players for foreign T20 leagues.
The move comes in response to the BCCI's policy that prevents its male cricketers from participating in overseas franchise T20 leagues.
Inquiry
Inzamam-ul-Haq questions the BCCI's stance on international leagues
Inzamam-ul-Haq voiced his apprehensions over BCCI's policy, stressing on the imbalance it creates in the world of cricket.
"Keep the Champions Trophy aside, you look at the IPL where all top players from around the world take part. But Indian players don't go to play in other leagues," Inzamam said on a local news channel in Pakistan.
He asked why other boards shouldn't follow suit if their players aren't released for any league.
Limitations
Restrictions on Indian players in foreign leagues
Indian women cricketers such as Smriti Mandhana, Jemimah Rodrigues, and Harmanpreet Kaur have been allowed to play in foreign leagues such as the Big Bash League (BBL), the Women's Premier League (WCPL), and The Hundred.
However, Indian male cricketers can only join international leagues after retiring from domestic cricket.
Dinesh Karthik played for SA20's Paarl Royals post-retirement last year, while Yuvraj Singh and Irfan Pathan played GT20 Canada and Lanka Premier League respectively after their retirements.
Overlap
IPL and PSL schedules coincide
The next edition of IPL will start on March 22, with Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) taking on Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) at Eden Gardens in Kolkata.
This year's IPL will overlap with Pakistan Super League (PSL), which will be held from April 11 to May 18.
The PSL trophy was recently unveiled in Karachi's coastal waters, kicking off preparations for this year's tournament.