The IPL is one of the most recognised and well-known cricket tournaments in the world, but not everyone is getting involved.
Players from all over the globe are putting their skills to the test in the 2024 season, except for one country: Pakistan.
Since the beginning of the competition back in 2008, Pakistani players only featured in the inaugural season, and they have been excluded ever since.
Here, The Sporting News explains why you won't see players from Pakistan in the current IPL 2024 season.
Why aren't Pakistan players in the IPL?
Due to the 2008 Mumbai attack, political relations between India and Pakistan took a turn which resulted in Pakistan players being banned from joining the IPL.
On the 26th of November, 2008, the city of Mumbai was under attack by 10 terrorists.
Ajmal Kasab — one of the 10 — revealed information about how the terrorist group organised its attack in Pakistan, which developed India's anger.
As a result, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to ban Pakistani players from participating in the IPL and have been excluded since.
The tension between the two countries also meant that they only face each other in ICC and ACC events, but in no bilateral series since 2012-13.
Pakistan has made it known their frustrations of being prohibited from the IPL, which attracts players from all over the world.
In August 2022, a report from InsideSport revealed that Pakistan players may be facing further exclusions from other tournaments — such as the CSA and UAE T20 leagues.
Team owners of the IPL, who also own franchises in those tournaments, were reportedly not keen on acquiring Pakistani players for the competition.
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A franchise official spoke to the publication about the barring of some players from foreign leagues as well as the IPL.
“No, we are not considering Pakistani players. There are way too many obstacles to go for Pakistani players," a franchise official told InsideSport.
"First, it’s a hard negotiation with the board to get them on board and allow them NOC.
"Then, comes the backlash of it. I don’t think any fans in India will be happy with their playing for us.
"It’s an investment and there is a lot at stake in every business.
"No one would want to hurt the sentiments of the customers. In this case, Indian fans are the biggest customers for us.
"We have decided not to pursue any Pakistani talent. They have some of the best players in the world but it’s not in our best interest."
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Which Pakistan players featured in IPL 2008
The inaugural season of the IPL featured Pakistan players before the country was excluded. A total of 11 players were selected in the tournament at the time.
| Player Name | Team |
|---|---|
| Sohail Tanveer | Rajasthan Royals |
| Shahid Afridi | Deccan Chargers (now-defunct) |
| Shoaib Malik | Delhi Daredevils (Delhi Capitals) |
| Shoaib Akhtar | Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Misbah-ul-Haq | Royal Challengers Bangalore |
| Mohammad Asif | Delhi Daredevils (Delhi Capitals) |
| Kamran Akmal | Rajasthan Royals |
| Salman Butt | Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Umar Gul | Kolkata Knight Riders |
| Younis Khan | Rajasthan Royals |
| Mohammad Hafeez | Kolkata Knight Riders |
When was the last time India played Pakistan?
The two countries met at the ICC ODI World Cup in India last year. India won by 7 wickets on their way to the final of the tournament, where they were beaten by Australia.
They will meet again in the T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies, in June.
