Pakistan pacer Hassan Ali expressed his hearty wish to be part of the most popular and richest T20 league in the world, the Indian Premier League (IPL). Pakistani players appeared in the inaugural edition of the IPL in 2008.
The likes of Shoaib Akhtar, Misbah-Ul-Haq, Shahid Afridi, Mohammad Hafeez, Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal, and Sohail Tanvir amongst others played in the IPL 2008. However, the Mumbai terror attacks happened the same year in November.
Since then, the Pakistani players are banned from playing in the Indian Premier League. This decision was taken during tense diplomatic relations between the two nations, and it impacted Pakistani cricketers' participation in one of the world's most popular T20 tournaments.
Pakistan fast bowler Hassan Ali spoke from the heart on Sunday as he expressed his desire to take part in the cash-rich league if he gets the opportunity.
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“Every player wants to play IPL and it is my wish to play there. It is one of the biggest leagues in the world and I will definitely play there if there is an opportunity in the future," Hassan Ali said on Samaa Lounge during an interview.
Incidentally, Hassan Ali has a direct relation to India as he married a girl from Hyderabad. He recently featured in the ICC World Cup 2023 which was held in India.
He has been a successful bowler in his country’s own Pakistan Super League (PSL), having played for Peshawar Zalmi and Islamabad United. Ali has the second most wickets in PSL-94, trailing Wahab Riaz's 113 scalps.
