'It's about business and not cricket' Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif on IPL media rights

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) racked up INR 48,000 crore during the recently held Indian Premier League (IPL) media rights e-auction. 

The auction saw Disney Star (TV rights) and Reliance's Viacom18 (Digital) pick up IPL rights for five years (2023-27).

However, former Pakistan skipper Rashid Latif has made some strong remarks regarding auctioning these rights.

Latif revealed on his YouTube Channel, Caught Behind, how this is more about business than cricket. 

The former wicketkeeper said: "It's about business and not cricket. This is not ideal situation. If we have to give money, then many people earn money. This is not about quality at all, it is business totally.

"Call Indians and ask them for how many hours did they watch the matches (in IPL). This is business. I have said nothing else. Give whatever name you might, value of the product etc. This is business. We have to see how much it sustains."

Latif was appointed the Director of Cricket Operations for the Kashmir Premier League (KPL), which has been embroiled in controversies since its inception last year.

Former Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi echoed similar sentiments over the IPL, stating it is about increasing the market and economy.

"It's all about the market. It's about the economy. Your biggest market is India. What they say, it will be done that way and it will happen that way," Afridi said on SamaaTV's Youtube Channel.

BCCI secretary and ACC President Jay Shah recently hinted about making the IPL a 2-and-half-month affair, with the total number of matches reaching as high as 94 per season.

"That is an aspect we have worked upon. Let me inform you that from the next ICC FTP calendar, IPL will have an official two-and-a-half month window so that all the top international cricketers can participate. We have had discussions with various boards as well as the ICC," Shah told PTI.