Cricbuzz, Dream11 Ban Pakistan Super League Post Pulwama Attack

On February 14 India witnessed a ghastly attack in Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir when a convoy of vehicles carrying 40 Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans was attacked by a suicide bomber from Pakistan-based terror group Jaish-e-Mohammed.

Following the deadly incident which was condemned by the whole world, India has been restricting business with Pakistan. India revoked Pakistan’s “Most Favoured Nation” (MFN) status which was given to the country in 1996. Following this, the country also raised the customs duty to 200% on all goods exported from Pakistan to India.

With Pakistan’s newly elected prime minister Imran Khan yet to issue a statement on the incident, Indian sports content providers have stopped giving highlights of Pakistan’s T20 cricket league, Pakistan Super League (PSL), which began on the same day as the Pulwama terror attack.

Currently, four sports broadcasters including Cricbuzz, IMG Reliance, DSport, and Dream11 have stopped coverage of PSL matches.

Times Internet-owned Cricbuzz which provides ball-by-ball commentary for every major cricket match across the world was the first to stop coverage. Currently, if a user tries to reach the PSL 2019 highlights webpage, the site reads “ Invalid URL entered.”

Mumbai-based Dream 11 also followed the trail and decided to ban on showing any further PSL matches. Any content related to the game has been taken down from the platform in response to the Pulawama terror attack.

Meanwhile, PSL producer and broadcaster  IMG Reliance, a joint venture between Reliance Industries and entertainment company IMG also stopped covering the game with immediate effect.  PSL official broadcaster Dsport channel too blacked out the game.  In similar lines, Bollywood association All India Cine Workers Association (AICWA) also announced a complete ban on Pakistani artists working in the Indian entertainment industry.

The Indian cricket industry has also strongly condemned the attack. On February 17, the  Cricket Club of India (CCI) secretary Suresh Bafna had said that India should refrain from playing against Pakistan in the upcoming World Cup.