Salman Butt Responds To Top New Zealand Players Skipping Pakistan Tour For IPL 2021, Believes Players Should Represent Country First
Published - 11 Aug 2021, 06:07 PM | Updated - 23 Aug 2024, 12:51 AM
Former Pakistani cricketer Salman Butt has reacted after some key New Zealand players have decided to skip the Pakistan tour to undertake IPL 2021 commitments. The former Pakistani skipper Salman Butt mentioned that one should play for the country first instead of any other league. A total of 7 Kiwi players have opted out of New Zealand’s tour of Pakistan 2021 because it clashes with the second leg of IPL 2021.
New Zealand players Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson, Jimmy Neesham, Mitchell Santner, and Tim Seifert will not travel to Pakistan for three-match ODI and five-match T20I series. Both the white-ball series is set to take place from September 17 to October 3.
However, the second led of IPL 2021 will clash with the event, set to be conducted from September 19 to October 15 in UAE.
Cricketers Leaving National Duty For IPL Is Becoming A Trend, Says Salman Butt
Salman Butt believes that when the national team is playing somewhere, players should represent the country and not any other league.
“I am of the firm belief that if your national team is playing somewhere, you should represent the country irrespective of whether IPL or any other league is being held at that time. But yes, lately cricketers leaving national duty for IPL is becoming a trend.
“Players are even leaving series’ midway. However, it is a fact that monetary-wise IPL is a very big league and the BCCI also has a lot of clout in the ICC so they also cannot do anything about it,” Salman Butt said in his Youtube video.
However, the 36-year-old also mentioned that another reason for New Zealand players participating in IPL 2021 is that the forthcoming ICC T20 World Cup 2021 is also set to take place at the same venue UAE. Hence, the Kiwi players would prefer to play in IPL 2021 as it would prepare them for the T20I World Cup 2021.
“Look, the T20 World Cup is also being held in the UAE. So the top players (from New Zealand) would prefer playing there to prepare for the event” Salman Butt further said.
IPL 2021, which was postponed in May earlier this year due to covid-19 issues, will observe the scheduling of the remaining matches from September 19 to October 15, 2021. UAE is the venue for the event. Just after the conclusion of IPL 2021, ICC T20 World Cup 2021 will commence in UAE on October 17, 2021.
All the 7 New Zealand players who are set to skip the Pakistan tour are part of the Kiwi squad for ICC T20 World Cup 2021. In the absence of Kane Williamson, Tom Latham will lead the New Zealand team against Pakistan.
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