'Why is the ICC silent on this matter, are they sleeping?' - Inzamam-ul-Haq slams apex body for allowing players to opt for IPL instead of international cricket

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 is arguably the most celebrated T20 competition at the moment as star cricketers from worldwide feature in the competition. Besides fame and success, IPL also offers a massive amount of money to the cricketers. Owing to all these factors, IPL witnesses the best of T20 cricketers in action. In fact, several overseas players have prioritized IPL over playing for the nation.

Earlier this year, several prominent South African players left a home series against Pakistan midway to feature in IPL.  In the latest, many IPL-bound New Zealand players have made themselves unavailable for the white-ball tours of Pakistan and Bangladesh. This approach of players has left former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq exasperated.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Inzamam slammed the International Cricket Council (ICC) for allowing players to prioritize IPL over international cricket. He also highlighted that the Pakistan team hasn’t been able to tackle full-strength teams lately due to this system.

What message is ICC trying to give, asks Inzamam-ul-Haq

“Wherever the Pakistan team is going, they are not getting a chance to play against the main players. When we went to South Africa in April, they sent their players for the IPL. With the upcoming NZ series in Pakistan, eight NZ players have opted out of the tour to play IPL. Even in the recent England tour, the whole England team got changed due to COVID-19 in the camp,” said Inzamam.

“I feel that the Pakistan team is not getting proper practice because they are not getting to play against the main players. What is the ICC doing? What message are they trying to give? Players are giving importance to private leagues and not international cricket. It’s like degrading international cricket. If you see the whole sequence, it’s happening only against Pakistan,” he added.

Inzamam also went onto urge the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to complain to ICC about the matter and save international cricket. “We are getting to play proper cricket only against Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe. Why is PCB not complaining to the ICC? Why is the ICC silent on this matter, are they sleeping? ICC should take action on players for giving more importance to private leagues,” he concluded.