IPL's extended window puts PCB and Pakistan Cricket in a spot of bother

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah confirmed earlier this week that the Indian Premier League (IPL) will have an official two-and-a-half-month window from the next ICC FTP calendar. There have been reports that the total number of matches will be increased to 94 going forward.

Meanwhile, this move from the BCCI has put the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) in a spot of bother as they reckon that the marquee tournament’s extended window will end up disrupting their cricket. The reason behind this is that no Pakistani players are allowed to participate in the IPL amid the political tension between the two nations.

The inaugural edition in 2008 was the only occasion that saw some of the renowned names in Pakistan cricket make their presence felt in the cash-rich tournament.

Pakistan Cricket disturbed due to IPL’s future window

According to reports in Cricket Pakistan, “BCCI plans to have a special window for the IPL in the next cycle from 2024-2031, making it mandatory for all top international cricketers to participate apart from Pakistan players.”

Since the Pakistani players aren’t participating in IPL, they would thus not be a part of major international matches for around 75 days. This is why the PCB has reportedly decided to escalate this issue with the other cricket boards during the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham later next month.

The report further states that, “although BCCI Secretary Jay Shah has also vowed to play bilateral international series, the issue of expansion of leagues and IPL worldwide is a matter of debate with other boards.”

Apart from the Pakistani players getting banned from the IPL, it also needs to be noted that the two countries have not played a single bilateral series ever since the 2012/13 season due to the ongoing political tensions. The only instances where both teams lock horns happen to be in multi-nation tournaments like the ICC events or the Asia Cup.