According to Rashid Latif who was Pakistan’s former captain Pakistani cricketers intensely desire to play in the IPL leading to their inadequate performance during recent cricket matches. The Indian Premier League (IPL) began its initial season in 2008 yet Pakistani players have remained excluded from this main T20 league which holds both the biggest and richest status worldwide. A total of 12 Pakistani players took part in the initial IPL season before the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) prohibited the participation of Pakistani players due to the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
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Watch: Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif told IANS: 'Obviously, we miss it as well (playing in the IPL), if we also would play then it increases the interest and business. Some broadcaster would definitely be showing it here if our players were playing.' pic.twitter.com/iQ7magvFCp
— IANS (@ians_india) April 6, 2025
Speaking to news agency IANS, Latif said, “Obviously, we miss it (playing in the IPL). If we were playing, it would have increased interest and business. Had our players been part of it, some broadcasters would definitely be showcasing it here (in Pakistan) as well.”
During the 2008 season of Rajasthan Royals Sohail Tanvir Kamran Akmal and Younis Khan became the only Pakistani cricket players to victory at IPL. Latif explained how top T20 leagues bettered the players from South Africa and Afghanistan along with New Zealand and West Indies as these countries demonstrated steady growth in cricket.
Latif further said, “If you look at countries like New Zealand, West Indies, and South Africa, their players have played in the IPL and faced the best in the world. You’ve got bowlers like Pat Cummins, Jofra Archer, and Kagiso Rabada—some of the world’s best—bowling to you. The competition is intense, and you get to learn a lot with access to top-tier facilities.”
The former wicketkeeper-batter added, “When you talk about football, you think of Manchester United and Real Madrid because they have the best facilities, and players don’t want to leave such clubs. Similarly, when you play in the best league in the world—the IPL—it changes your outlook. So when you go play in other countries, you take it more lightly in comparison.”
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Latif concluded by saying, “The IPL has played a key role in Afghanistan’s rise. After Rashid Khan, they brought in Noor Ahmad, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Fazalhaq Farooqi—players who have made an immediate impact even at the national level.”
