BCCI Sticks to Govt Stand on Pakistan: Dhumal

IPL chairman Arun Dhumal on Friday reiterated that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will not engage in bilateral cricket with Pakistan, stressing that the board is following the central government’s policy on sporting ties amidst heightened tensions after the Pahalgam terror attack and ‘Operation Sindoor’.

Only Multilateral Matches

Dhumal underlined that India and Pakistan will only meet in global or continental events like the Asia Cup, but bilateral series remain off the table.
“The government has made it very clear that we will not play bilaterals and only feature against Pakistan in multilateral tournaments. We are only following the government’s advice,” he said during the Playcom Business of Sports Conclave.

The arch-rivals are set to face off in Dubai for the first time since border escalations in May, when India carried out strikes on terror camps following the killing of 26 tourists in Pahalgam.

Sponsorship Search Underway

The IPL chairman also confirmed that the BCCI is in the process of finding a new team sponsor after Dream11’s exit, prompted by the government’s ban on real-money gaming platforms. “The process has started, and we expect clarity in the next 2–3 weeks,” Dhumal added.

Clarity on Next President Soon

Speaking on BCCI’s upcoming Annual General Meeting, he said the name of the next board president would emerge within a week. He, however, refrained from commenting on the Royal Challengers Bangalore ownership issue, citing its pendency in court.

IPL’s Contribution

Dhumal highlighted the Indian Premier League’s role in strengthening the country’s cricketing depth. “Even our C team can beat the opposition. That is the quality the IPL has created,” he said, crediting the league’s competitiveness for expanding the talent pool.