Former skipper Rashid Latif claims Pakistan’s absence from the IPL has slowed their cricketing progress, citing the league’s global impact on talent and exposure.
April 6, 2025: In a striking statement, former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif has claimed that Pakistan’s exclusion from the Indian Premier League (IPL) has significantly impacted the country’s cricketing development.
“Obviously, we miss it as well. If our players were part of the IPL, interest and business in Pakistan cricket would have increased. Broadcasters here would have picked it up,” Latif told IANS.
After the inaugural 2008 IPL season—which featured 12 Pakistani cricketers—the BCCI banned Pakistani players from participating in future editions due to geopolitical tensions, particularly following the Mumbai terrorist attacks later that year.
📉 Lack of Exposure Hurting Development?
Latif believes that Pakistan players have lost out on crucial international exposure, unlike players from countries such as New Zealand, South Africa, West Indies, and Afghanistan, who have used the IPL platform to elevate their skills.
“When you play in the IPL, you’re up against the best—Pat Cummins, Jofra Archer, Kagiso Rabada. You train in high-class facilities, you learn faster.”
He compared the IPL to elite football clubs like Manchester United and Real Madrid, suggesting that the best leagues bring out the best in athletes.
🌍 Global Rise Through the IPL
Latif also highlighted how nations like Afghanistan have grown rapidly on the back of IPL experience. Citing players like Rashid Khan, Noor Ahmad, Azmatullah Omarzai, and Fazalhaq Farooqi, he noted their “instant impact” at the international level.
“Afghanistan’s rise is tied to the IPL. Their players get exposure, and when they return to the national team, they’re game-changers.”
🏆 Pakistani Players Who Made IPL History
Pakistan’s only IPL title winners to date remain:
- Sohail Tanvir,
- Kamran Akmal, and
- Younis Khan,
— all part of the Rajasthan Royals’ 2008 winning squad.
Since then, no Pakistan player has featured in the IPL—a fact Latif sees as a major missed opportunity.
With rising global competition and talent development happening through premier leagues, Latif’s remarks shine a spotlight on Pakistan’s isolation from one of cricket’s biggest stages. Whether that changes in the future remains to be seen.
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Pakistan Cricket, Rashid Latif, IPL 2025, IPL Pakistan ban, BCCI, IPL impact, Sohail Tanvir, Younis Khan, Kamran Akmal, Rashid Khan, Afghanistan cricket, T20 leagues, PCB, Indian Premier League, Cricket News