In the face of increased tensions following the Pahalgam terror attack and “Operation Sindoor,” IPL chairman Arun Dhumal stated on Friday that the BCCI is rigorously following the government’s position on cricketing links with Pakistan.
The long-standing rivals will square off in Dubai for the first time since the border dispute escalated in May, when India attacked Pakistani terror infrastructure following the killing of 26 tourists in a heinous attack in Pahalgam.
“The government has made it very clear that we will not play bilaterals and only feature against Pakistan in multilateral tournaments. We are only following the government’s advice,” Dhumal made this statement while speaking with reporters at the Playcom Business of Sports Conclave.
In accordance with a new policy recently established by the government, India will continue to compete against its neighbors in multilateral tournaments like the Asia Cup, but will no longer participate in any bilateral sporting events with Pakistan.
Regarding the sponsorship void left by the departure of Dream11 as a partner, Dhumal stated that the process of finding a replacement is already under progress.
“What is done is done. We have started the process of finalising the sponsors and will get to know about it in the next 2-3 weeks,” he said.
The Indian government’s ban on real-money gaming, as outlined in the recently passed Promotion and Regulation of Online Gaming Act, has caused the BCCI to sever its jersey sponsorship agreement with Dream11.
Regarding the next Annual General Meeting (AGM) of the BCCI, Dhumal stated that it will be clear in a week who will be the new board president. Citing the ongoing legal proceedings, he declined to comment on the ownership dispute surrounding Royal Challengers Bangalore.
The IPL chairman further emphasized how the league has helped to develop the talent pool in Indian cricket.
“The quality of IPL is because of its competitiveness. Even our C team can beat the opposition. We can make an XI of the benched XI,” he remarked.
Dhumal added that since the league’s inaugural season, its expansion has been apparent.
“From Brendon McCullum’s exploits in the inaugural match to Vaibhav Suryavanshi’s emergence last season as someone who broke barriers, the IPL has consistently produced moments that have elevated the game to a higher level,” he added.
