No one contacted me: Monty Panesar quashes false report blaming BCCI over his withdrawal from KPL
Former England spinner Monty Panesar announced his decision to withdraw from the controversial Bye League (Kashmir Premier League) earlier this week.
The 39-year-old had taken to Twitter to announce his decision, saying that he doesn’t want to get into the political tensions between the two countries.
“I have decided not to participate in the KPL because of the political tensions between India and Pakistan over kashmir issues. I don’t want to be in the middle of this , it would make me feel uncomfortable. #KPL2021 #Kashmir #india #Cricket #Pakistan #ENGvIND #TheHundred,” he had written on Twitter.
While Panesar never blamed BCCI for withdrawing from the league, a Pakistan journalist misquoted the spinner by claiming that he was asked to stay from the league by the BCCI. Panesar was quick to put the speculations to rest as he clarified that no one from BCCI got in touch with him.
“Correction advised my ECB and PCA. No one got in touch with me from BCCI. My granddad is 90 plus, yeah I would like to visit him. #ENGvsIND,” Panesar wrote in response to a journalist’s tweet.
The Kashmir Premier League will take place from August 6 to 17. Shahid Afridi is the brand ambassador of the tournament. Shadab Khan, Shoaib Malik, Kamran Akmal, Mohamad Hafeez, Imad Wasim and Afridi will lead their respective sides in the tournament.
The league had drawn the limelight last week after former South Africa opener, Herschelle Gibbs, had accused BCCI of preventing him from taking part in the tournament.
“Completely unnecessary of the @BCCI to bring their political agenda with Pakistan into the equation and trying to prevent me playing in the @kpl_20 . Also threatening me saying they won’t allow me entry into India for any cricket related work. Ludicrous,” he had written on Twitter.
The Pakistan Cricket Board went on to issue a statement, blaming BCCI for preventing players from taking part in the tournament. Speaking to ANI, a BCCI official had said that the board was within its rights to take a decision relating to Indian cricket.
“While one can neither confirm or deny the veracity of the statement made by a former player who has figured in a CBI investigation into match-fixing earlier, the PCB must understand that even if Gibbs’ statement is assumed to be true, the BCCI would be well within their rights to take decisions with respect to the cricketing ecosystem in India. The fact that the Indian cricketing ecosystem is the most sought after for cricketing opportunities globally, should not be envied by the PCB,” an official had told ANI.
