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Will Retired Indian Cricketers Make the Cut for Proposed Saudi Arabia T20 league? BCCI reveals

image-lghr47udBCCI won't allow Indian players to travel in foreign leagues [Twitter]


The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has reportedly denied Indian cricketers' participation in the proposed lucrative T20 competition in Saudi Arabia.

The tournament organizers have approached IPL franchises to purchase teams in the competition, with the intention of launching the richest T20 league in the Gulf region. While IPL franchises have already participated in overseas T20 leagues in South Africa, the USA, and the Caribbean, the BCCI's decision aims to protect the IPL's brand value.

The BCCI officials have communicated that Indian players will not be allowed to feature in any domestic competition apart from the IPL, while the franchises can make independent choices.

“No current Indian players will be taking part in any of the leagues, but as far as franchise participation is concerned, we can’t stop them," a top BCCI official told The Indian Express.

The BCCI official further recognized that IPL franchises can decide to have their team in any league worldwide, such as South Africa or Dubai


“It’s their individual decision. We have seen IPL franchises going to South Africa or Dubai and we can’t say no. It’s their choice to have their team in any of the leagues around the world,” added the board official.

However, retired Indian players can still participate in overseas T20 leagues. A plethora of former Indian cricketers like Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa among others participated in the Abu Dhabi T10 League and the International League T20 in the 2022/23 season.

The likes of Irfan Pathan, Gautam Gambhir, Pragyan Ojha, and several other erstwhile Indian cricketers also featured in the Legends League Cricket in Qatar earlier this year. As a result, it will be interesting to see if the tournament is able to attract former Indian superstars.

It is worth mentioning that the UAE remains the most prominent cricketing destination in the Gulf region, having hosted several high-profile tournaments, including the IPL, Asia Cup, T20 World Cup, and bilateral series involving Full Member Nations. However, BCCI's strict stance may limit the tournament's potential to attract retired Indian cricketers to participate.