Wasim Akram begs Jay Shah, IPL Team Owners to pick Pakistan players
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Former Pakistan legend Wasim Akram has criticized 'politics' in cricket and has said that players should be picked not based on their nationality or any other intent. Instead, whoever the captain is, players from every nation should be picked.
The rising tension between the two teams, India and Pakistan, has arisen since the 2025 Asia Cup. The two boards have drawn cross-boundary politics and a warlike situation into the game of cricket.
Wasim Akram opines to keep 'politics' away from cricket
Recently, Wasim Akram was asked in an interview what he does not like in cricket nowadays, and the former Pakistan skipper announced that it was the unwanted intervention of politics in cricket that makes him feel disgusted.
Wasim Akram said, "What I don't like in cricket is politics. I'm sorry, Sports Should be away from politics."
Cricket and politics have been mixed up now. Pakistan suffered the toll of diplomacy when India humiliated them worldwide by their franchise team, the India Champions, withdrew from participation in a game against Pakistan's Champions in the World Championship of Legends.
The BCCI had then said that they had nothing to do with this move, as the WCL is a privately owned championship and is not under their control.
India and Pakistan further faced political pressure in the Asia Cup games, which continues to date, after Mohsin Naqvi repeatedly turned down the BCCI's proposition to hand over the Asia Cup trophy.
Akram calls for unbiased treatment of players from all nations
The Hundred is a global competition that draws players from around the globe for participation in a 100-ball tournament featuring several teams from cities across India. Several of those franchises have now been taken over by Indian owners.
The Northern Superchargers are owned by the same owners as Sunrisers Hyderabad, which was in the news. Much like the Hundred, the Big Bash League is also set to go into private ownership, and several Indian owners are already lined up to make the bids with Cricket Australia.
Hence, Akram has asked players from every nation to be picked unbiased of their origin. "In league cricket, pick every player from any nation; Be brave!! Be bigger!! But that’s not happening, unfortunately."
"And I think that's where ICC and the Cricket boards come in. It doesn't matter who owns the league or who owns the teams in the league. Every player from every nation should be picked," said Wasim Akram.
Wasim Akram said "What I don't like in cricket is politics, I'm sorry, Sports Should be away from politics , Pick every player from any nations be brave ne bigger but that’s not happening unfortunately"pic.twitter.com/P4rhIU1lv3
— junaiz (@dhillow_) November 2, 2025
Pakistani players are not allowed to participate in the IPL
Pakistan players have been allowed to participate in global franchise tournaments, unlike the Indian players. The BCCI forbids its players from participating in any league outside India when they are bound to the BCCI through contracts.
However, the PCB allows participation of its players except for the IPL. The IPL was started after 2008, and Pakistani players were forbidden from participating from 2009. BBL and The Hundred have seen players from Pakistan in previous seasons.
The franchises have been privatized, and several Indian players are on board to take over the teams, which might limit the participation of Pakistani players, especially after the recent feuds between the two boards, BCCI and PCB.
Tagged:
Pakistan National Cricket Team Wasim Akram IPL BBL The Hundred SA20 India National Cricket Team IND vs PAK Jay Shah ICC
