Pakistan legend Wasim Akram said that England players shouldn’t bother coming to the IPL if they can’t play the entire season.
For more cricket news and updates, click here.
Akram on England stars leaving IPL season early
England players such as Jos Buttler, Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Reece Topley, etc. have all left the IPL for the squad’s T20I series against Pakistan.
The decision by the England board did not sit well with Akram, saying it’s unfair for the IPL fans and owners.
“If you cut salaries, will it affect anything if your team doesn’t win after reaching the playoffs? You’ve put in all the hard work and in the last hurdle, your boys leave because they have to play for the country. It’s not fair,” Akram told Sportskeeda.
“This is what you play for. That’s why it’s frustrating not just for fans but owners, and captains of the teams for any league. So, I agree with Irfan [Pathan], come for the entire tournament otherwise don’t come,” he added.
However, Former England captain Michael Vaughan said the T20I series was on the calendar to begin with.
“If you are going back to represent your country, which England players have done, I think that’s fair enough. They are playing a series against Pakistan. The England players wouldn’t have gone back if it wasn’t for the Pakistan series,” Vaughan told Cricbuzz.”
“The series was on the calendar. With English cricket, the defence of the 50-over World Cup was a poor one by England here in India. So I think, Jos and his team, 5 games against Pakistan, they get together. The actual lead-up to the 50-over World Cup wasn’t perfect either. There were a lot of swaps and changes. They have now gone back to 5 matches, get all the squad together, work on a bit of culture, everyone playing their right roles, I think it will give them a better chance.”
