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The Indian Premier League (IPL) started in 2008 with a big dream of transforming franchise cricket. In the first season, players from all over the world, including Pakistan, took part. Top players such as Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Sohail Tanvir, and many others represented various franchises and made a big impact. Sohail Tanvir even topped the wicket-taker list in IPL 2008, as Rajasthan Royals won the championship.
The Ban on Pakistani Players After 26/11
But after the horrific 26/11 Mumbai attacks in November 2008, India-Pakistan relations worsened. As a reaction, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and IPL organizers chose to exclude Pakistani cricketers from playing in the league.
No Pakistan-based player has been permitted to play in the IPL since then, and India has avoided playing bilateral series in Pakistan. Notwithstanding this limitation, IPL 2025 has hosted five Pakistani-origin players in the tournament, owing to their ties with other international teams.
Pakistani-Born Players in IPL 2025
Moeen Ali, who was born on June 18, 1987, in Birmingham, England, to Pakistani parents, is deeply rooted Pakistani. He plays for England internationally and has been an integral member of the IPL since 2018. Having played for Royal Challengers Bangalore from 2018 to 2020, he moved to Chennai Super Kings in 2021. Moeen was instrumental in CSK’s title-winning season in 2021, playing as an all-rounder with his attacking batting and off-spin bowling.
Usman Khawaja was born on 18 December 1986 in Islamabad, Pakistan, and migrated to Australia at an early age. He has played for Australia internationally and played briefly for the IPL. He played for the Rising Pune Supergiant team for a part of the season in 2016 but was not given much chance to make himself visible in the league.
Imran Tahir was born on March 27, 1979, in Lahore, Pakistan. Though of Pakistani origin, he played international cricket for South Africa. Throughout his career, Tahir has been a part of several IPL franchises, such as Delhi Daredevils (2014-2016), Rising Pune Supergiant (2017), and Chennai Super Kings (2018-2021). In the 2019 season, he had an exceptional performance and took home the Purple Cap for the most wickets.
Sikandar Raza, another cricketer born in Pakistan, was born on April 24, 1986, in Sialkot, Pakistan. He migrated to Zimbabwe later and became a vital player for their national side. Raza debuted in the IPL in 2023 for Punjab Kings and has offered versatility as a batting all-rounder in the tournament.
Adil Rashid, February 17, 1988, born in Bradford, England, to Pakistani parents, has deep Pakistani roots. He is a leg-spinner for the England national team and was drafted by Punjab Kings during the 2023 IPL season. But he was not used regularly by the team in the playing XI during his time there.
Pakistan’s Response: The Rise of PSL
Following the exclusion of Pakistani players from IPL, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) introduced its own franchise-based tournament, the Pakistan Super League (PSL), in 2015. The league has gradually increased in size and attracted numerous international players.
Nevertheless, even with PSL’s emergence, the IPL is still the world’s richest and most valued T20 competition with much larger revenues, salaries for players, and international viewing.
The dominance of IPL reflects the financial and administrative supremacy of BCCI in world cricket. With IPL being the most sought-after league for players worldwide, it continues to set the benchmark for franchise-based T20 cricket.
Even as Pakistani players shine in other leagues, the absence of their participation in IPL highlights the long-standing tensions between India and Pakistan in cricketing relations.
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