NEW DELHI: Former Pakistan captain
Mohammad Hafeez
criticized England skipper
Jos Buttler
for his recent comments suggesting that no
international cricket
should be scheduled during the IPL. Buttler, who had to leave IPL 2024 before the playoffs to represent England in a T20I series against Pakistan, expressed his opinion during a press conference ahead of the ICC Men's
T20 World Cup
2024.
Buttler stated, "It's my personal opinion that there shouldn't be any international cricket that clashes with the IPL. These games have been in the calendar for a long time, and leading into a World Cup, your No. 1 priority is playing for England and performing for England. I feel like this is the best preparation."
The comments sparked a debate on the Club Prairie Fire podcast, where Hafeez asked
Michael Vaughan
and
Adam Gilchrist
for their views. Vaughan supported Buttler's stance, acknowledging the growing significance of the IPL. He remarked, "I actually agree with him. IPL has become so big, and the players are so well rewarded for participating."
Hafeez interrupted Vaughan by questioning whether it was fair for players to prioritize IPL over national duties. Vaughan responded, "It is the nature of the beast in 2024. Whether it is absolutely morally right is a very good question. But I think IPL is so big now that it is very hard for international boards to compete with it."
Vaughan also noted the potential impact on the
County Championship
, with many players likely to miss matches due to IPL commitments. "
Pakistan Super League
(PSL) will compete with IPL next year, which will be interesting. It will affect the English summer more than any other country because so many players will be involved in both tournaments," the former England skipper added.
Adam Gilchrist echoed Vaughan's sentiments, pointing out that domestic cricket will inevitably be compromised due to IPL. He mentioned, "Domestic cricket is going to be compromised within the more established cricketing nations. For instance, the Sheffield Shield final overlaps with the IPL, so players will have to make a choice."
Hafeez found Buttler's remarks surprising and emphasized the importance of national pride. He commented, "To me, that was a shocking statement from the captain of England because representing your country is the biggest prize you play for. If you are compromising and saying that national pride should not be there due to the IPL contract, I think that's not right."
English (US) ·