'We have "no jurisdiction" over KPL' - ICC responds to BCCI's plea of not recognising KPL

The inaugural edition of the Kashmir Premier League (KPL) has been the hot topic of this week with BCCI reportedly not happy with the tournament. Days after former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Rashid Latif alleged that BCCI is threatening other cricket boards of serious consequences if their former players go and play in the KPL, former South Africa player Herschelle Gibbs sent out a tweet slamming the BCCI for pressuring him to withdraw his name from the tournament.

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The PCB then criticized BCCI for their interference in Pakistan’s internal sports tournament, drawing a response from the BCCI who said they are well within their rights to take decisions with respect to the cricket ecosystem in the country.

The event, which is set to get underway on August 6, will feature several international stars, which is one of the main concerns of the BCCI. Also, according to a report by a cricket website, the “disputed status” of the region is also making BCCI worried.

The BCCI raised the issue with the International Cricket Council (ICC) and urged them not to recognize the KPL. However, the apex body has set aside BCCI’s plea saying that it has "no jurisdiction" over non-international cricket tournaments.

A spokesperson of ICC told Geo News, “The tournament is not under ICC’s jurisdiction as it is not an international cricket tournament.”

For ICC to recognize an event, the national cricket federation shall have the sole and exclusive rights of the tournament. The PCB does not have the rights of the KPL which is said to be conceived by a Pakistani politician called Shehryar Khan Afridi. All matches of the tournament will be played at the Muzaffarabad Cricket Stadium.