Inzamam-ul-Haq, Saqlain Mushtaq take aim at BCCI and Team India: 'Stop sending players to IPL'

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has criticised the BCCI for enjoying an undue advantage over other cricketing nations, while his former teammate Saqlain Mushtaq has said that the Indian cricket team’s real test would be to play a full-fledged series against the Men in Green.

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Inzamam’s criticism of BCCI and India comes amid global outrage against the Rohit Sharma-led side playing all its Champions Trophy 2025 matches in Dubai. India have been stationed in Dubai under a hybrid model after they refused to tour Pakistan for the Champions Trophy 2025 over security issues. This, however, has not gone down well with a few former cricketers and renowned journalists who have called the Champions Trophy a "farce" .

Inzamam, Saqlain take aim at BCCI and Team India

Inzamam acknowledged India’s Dubai advantage and added that it’s time for all cricket boards to boycott the Indian Premier League (IPL) to underline their protest. Inzamam’s rationale is that if Indian players are not playing in overseas T20 leagues, why should players from other countries take part in IPL?

“Keep aside the Champions Trophy. Top players participate in IPL, but Indian players don’t participate in other leagues. Other boards should stop sending their players to IPL. If you (BCCI) don’t release your players for leagues, then other boards should take a stance,” Inzamam said on a Pakistani TV channel, 24 News HD.

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Every board should stop sending their players to the IPL.

~ Inzamam
pic.twitter.com/MjCbuvXuzl

— Cricketopia (@CricketopiaCom) March 1, 2025

It has to be noted that Indian players are contractually prohibited from participating in overseas leagues unless they retire from Indian cricket, including the IPL and domestic tournaments.

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On the same show on another day, former spinner Saqlain dared India to play 30 matches against Pakistan, 10 matches in each format, to decide which was the better team.

“If we keep political things aside, their (Indian) players are very good, and they have been playing good cricket. If you are really a good team, I think let’s play 10 Tests, 10 ODIs, and 10 T20Is against Pakistan, then everything would become clear,” Mushtaq said.