Kashmir Premier League (KPL), the inaugural version of which was performed final 12 months, will formally invite former Indian skipper Virat Kohli to be part of the league’s second version. Arif Malik, the KPL president, has confirmed that the league has determined to ship an invite to Kohli, including that “it’s a message of peace from our facet”.
“[Mohammad] Rizwan gave a really constructive message that cricket ought to be past anything. So, we’re sending a letter to Virat Kohli, inviting him to play within the league or not less than come and watch one match. It’s a message of peace from our facet, now it’s as much as him, whether or not he accepts it or not,” Malik mentioned in a video message. “We’re able to host different Indian gamers as properly. We consider that sports activities are the one solution to bridge the hole between the 2 nations.”
This comes after former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif, who’s presently serving because the Director of Cricket Operations for KPL, had mentioned that the league should ship invites to cricket boards world wide and should invite Kohli to affix the league as properly. Given India and Pakistan’s traditionally strained relations, it stays to be seen whether or not or not Kohli accepts such a proposal.
“We must always ship an invite [to Virat Kohli] however the resolution to play lies with the participant,” mentioned Latif whereas talking to Daybreak Information. “It’s good to provoke such a factor. I additionally suggested [Najam] Sethi to ship invites to all cricket boards, which incorporates BCCI as properly, for PSL. If we get good sources, we are going to attempt to put them to good use and organise a superb event. We wish folks in Pakistan and out of doors Pakistan to benefit from the league.”
The league had its share of controversy after it was reported final 12 months that the Board of Management for Cricket in India (BCCI) warned different cricket boards in addition to overseas gamers to not participate within the league or they might be neither allowed entry in India nor be allowed to work in any capability with Indian cricket.
Later, Herschelle Gibbs, the previous South African participant, alleged that the BCCI is pressurising him to not take part within the league. Alongside comparable traces, former England spinner Monty Panesar had taken to Twitter to tell about his resolution to again out from the league “due to the political tensions between India and Pakistan over Kashmir points”, stating later that it was his “personal resolution”.
Organised by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the six-team event was held for the primary time in 2021, with Rawalakot Hawks lifting the inaugural title. The second version of the league, which is about to welcome two new groups, is about to start on August 1, with the ultimate to be performed on August 14. The draft for the occasion is more likely to be held in June.
In the meantime, Malik is assured that the approaching season will probably be a hit. “Like the primary season, the second season can even be a cricket leisure for enthusiastic followers on the market,” he mentioned. “I do know the scenario wasn’t superb within the earlier season, however issues will get higher by the point.”
