Former Pakistan stars can't stop praising IPL: Here’s why
Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2008, when top Pakistani cricketers like Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Salman Butt, and Kamran Akmal played in the tournament.
The prospect of more such moments, where Indian and Pakistani cricketers played as teammates rather than opponents, came to an abrupt end after the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. The attacks, carried out by a Pakistan-based terrorist organisation, shook India to its core and brought the two nations to the brink of war.
In the aftermath, Pakistani players were banned from participating in the IPL, a restriction that has remained in place for the last 15 editions of the tournament.
Since then, India and Pakistan have not played a bilateral series… This divide was further evident in the recently concluded Champions Trophy, originally set to be hosted in Pakistan. Due to security concerns, India refused to travel, resulting in a hybrid model where some matches were played at a neutral venue, Dubai.
A similar situation is expected for the upcoming Asia Cup, with Sri Lanka likely to serve as a neutral location for Pakistan’s matches.
The unstoppable rise of a behemoth
Since its inception in 2008, the IPL has grown into the world's most popular and wealthiest cricket league. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s cricket landscape has faced significant challenges.