Kashmir Premier League to formally invite Virat Kohli for second edition

Kashmir Premier League (KPL), the inaugural edition of which was played last year, will formally invite former Indian skipper Virat Kohli to be a part of the league’s second edition. Arif Malik, the KPL president, has confirmed that the league has decided to send an invitation to Kohli, adding that “it’s a message of peace from our side”.

“[Mohammad] Rizwan gave a very positive message that cricket should be beyond anything else. So, we are sending a letter to Virat Kohli, inviting him to play in the league or at least come and watch one match. It’s a message of peace from our side, now it is up to him, whether he accepts it or not,” Malik said in a video message. “We are ready to host other Indian players as well. We believe that sports are the only way to bridge the gap between the two countries.”

This comes after former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif, who is currently serving as the Director of Cricket Operations for KPL, had said that the league must send invitations to cricket boards around the world and must invite Kohli to join the league as well. Given India and Pakistan’s historically strained relations, it remains to be seen whether or not Kohli accepts such an offer.

“We should send an invitation [to Virat Kohli] but the decision to play lies with the player,” said Latif while speaking to Dawn News. “It’s good to initiate such a thing. I also advised [Najam] Sethi to send invitations to all cricket boards, which includes BCCI as well, for PSL. If we get good resources, we will try to put them to good use and organise a good tournament. We want people in Pakistan and outside Pakistan to enjoy the league.”

The league had its share of controversy after it was reported last year that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) warned other cricket boards as well as foreign players to not take part in the league or they would be neither allowed entry in India nor be allowed to work in any capacity with Indian cricket.

Later, Herschelle Gibbs, the former South African player, alleged that the BCCI is pressurising him to not participate in the league. Along similar lines, former England spinner Monty Panesar had taken to Twitter to inform about his decision to back out from the league “because of the political tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir issues”, stating later that it was his “own decision”.

Organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the six-team tournament was held for the first time in 2021, with Rawalakot Hawks lifting the inaugural title. The second edition of the league, which is set to welcome two new teams, is set to commence on August 1, with the final to be played on August 14. The draft for the event is likely to be held in June.

Meanwhile, Malik is confident that the coming season will be a success. “Like the first season, the second season will also be a cricket entertainment for enthusiastic fans out there,” he said. “I know the situation wasn’t ideal in the previous season, but things will get better by the time.”