Picture Credit: Twitter
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ramiz Raja opened up on being invited by Board of Control for Cricket in India President Sourav Ganguly to attend the Indian Premier League (IPL) final, but he decided not to attend after looking at the repercussions of these actions.
The PCB chief Ramiz Raja said also revealed that he was invited twice, last year and this year but didn't make his presence count.
"Twice Ganguly has invited me (Ramiz Raja) to attend the IPL finals last year and this year and cricketing wise it made sense to go, but then, because of the situation, we had to look at the fallout of accepting the invitations," he said.
Ramiz Raja also then talked about how Pakistan wants to play India but the political relations between the two countries continue to act as a roadblock. "I have spoken to Sourav (Ganguly) on the sidelines on this and I told him that presently there are three former cricketers heading their cricket boards and if they can't make a difference who will?," Raja said.
We will challenge it in a very forceful manner and put our point across strongly: Raja
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has decided to challenge the proposed two-and-a-half-month expanded time frame for the Indian Premier League. PCB chairman Ramiz Raja talked about how the issue will be raised at the next ICC meeting.
"There has been no announcement or decision as yet on the IPL window being increased. I will give my views on this issue at the ICC conference," he said during a media conference on Friday. "My point is clear: if there is any development in world cricket that means we are being short-changed, we will challenge it in a very forceful manner and put our point across strongly in the ICC," Ramiz Raja added.
IPL is a marquee event on the annual cricket calendar, and it is now only behind the NFL: Shah
The PCB's decision to challenge comes weeks after BCCI Secretary, Jay Shah said that the Indian board will be looking to extend the IPL window in the ICC's next FTP cycle starting from 2024 till 2031. Shah said, "We have been talking with our fellow Member Boards and the ICC about having a bigger dedicated window for the IPL.
"The IPL is a marquee event on the annual cricket calendar, and it is now only behind the NFL. The quality of cricket that you witness in IPL is world-class with senior international stars coming and playing with and against their Indian counterparts", Shah stated.