Pakistan bans IPL broadcasting

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  • Post published:March 22, 2019

Pakistan have banned the broadcasting of the Indian Premier League, a month after India banned the broadcasting of the Pakistan Super League. 

This came after DSport, the official broadcasters of the Pakistan Premier League (PSL) in India, stopped the coverage of the tournament. The decision from India was an act of protest after the Pulwama terror attack that saw 40 people killed. 

Midway through the tournament, the PSL had to find a new broadcaster for the tournament worldwide, after their main broadcaster IMG Reliance (India) pulled out of their deal for the same reason. 

Pakistan’s Information and Broadcasting minister Fawad Chaudhry confirmed that they will suspend the broadcasting of the IPL. 

‘During the PSL, the way the Indian companies and the government treated Pakistan cricket after that, we can’t tolerate that IPL is shown in Pakistan,’ Fawad Chaudhry told ARY News.

Chaudhry also slammed India for their actions during the third ODI against Australia, which saw the players wear camouflage caps.

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) asked the ICC to get involved with this act, as they felt India were bringing politics into cricket but the ICC refused to take action stating that the BCCI asked for permission before they wore the caps. 

‘We tried to keep politics and cricket apart but then the Indian cricket team played matches wearing army caps against Australia and there was no action taken against it,’ the minister said.

‘I feel if IPL is not shown in Pakistan, it will be a loss for IPL and Indian cricket. We are a cricketing superpower in international cricket.’

The 12th edition of the IPL starts on 23 March.

Photo: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images