Hypocrisy Of Pakistan Cricket: Allows Indian Company To Stream PSL-6 Matches But Bans ENG Vs PAK Telecast

Pakistan's cabinet rejected to sign an agreement with Star and Sony to air the England-Pakistan cricket series but has no qualms about Pakistan Super League Live Telecast on the same Indian broadcaster. See the full report.

Images: AFP

Karachi: Pakistan's minister of information, Fawad Chaudhry said that Pak won't telecast England vs Pakistan ODI and T20I series citing that they do not want to "conduct business with any Indian company". Sony Pictures Networks (SPN) India has the rights to broadcast England Vs Pakistan ODI and T20I series. But on the contrary, the matches of the ongoing Pakistan Super League (PSL) season 6 are being streamed and telecast by the same company. Netizens smell hypocrisy in Pakistan's stand on both tournaments. 

 “Indian companies hold the rights to broadcast [matches] in South Asia... and we cannot conduct business with any Indian company,” the Pakistan minister said on Geo News.

He cited the abolishment of Article 370 for taking this decision. India abolished the controversial Article 370 in both houses of the Indian parliament on August 8 2019. This divided the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two different Union Territories. Pakistan government took a decision, not to any business with India until the "order is restored" in Kashmir. 

The development came after Pakistan Television (PTV) asked for permission to crack a deal between Sony Pictures and Star, but it was denied by Pakistan's cabinet. "The cabinet has rejected the request of PTV to sign an agreement with Star and Sony to air the England-Pakistan cricket series," the minister for information said. But the same company is the broadcast partner for PSL.

The hypocrisy of Pakistan cricket's stand on the PSL's telecast as opposed to England Vs Pakistan Telecast is clearly visible. 

Meanwhile, PSL has started in UAE. Multan Sultans are playing Karachi Kings on Thursday.