The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is promising a “bigger and better” tournament than ever as the country gears up to host the tenth edition of the flagship Pakistan Super League (PSL) starting Friday. However, the celebrations and excitement have taken a hit amid calls for boycott over the league’s choice of sponsors.

 

With an electrifying opening ceremony planned for Apr 11 and top cricketers from around the world participating, fans had been unable to keep calm as they looked forward to all the cricketing action. But the hype hit a roadblock as netizens pointed out how the sponsors of PSL 10 included brands the general public has now been boycotting for over a year due to their alleged Israel connection.

 

The Israeli assault on Gaza began on October 7, 2023, and has since led to a devastating humanitarian crisis. According to latest reports, over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed, with tens of thousands injured. The attacks have destroyed hospitals, schools and homes, leaving over a million people displaced with little access to food, water or medical aid.

 

The start of the assault was followed by boycott campaigns against Western brands in many Muslim countries, spearheaded by the BDS Movement, a global, Palestinian-led campaign advocating for non-violent pressure on Israel to respect Palestinian rights under international law. The movement also calls for the boycott of certain companies and organisations that it says have invested in Israel or donate to its military and are directly profiting from its economy.

 

Amid all this, social media users have flooded the internet with posts urging people to take a stand against companies that, despite being on the boycott lists, have been selected to sponsor the country’s flagship cricketing league.

 

Here’s what they have to say:

 

 

One user expressed their disappointment, saying, "In Palestine, our brothers are dying, and we are busy celebrating PSL."

 

"Boycott PSL until they remove sponsorship from Zionist brands. I request everyone not just to post about boycotting but to actually do it—don't watch a single match until these sponsorships end," wrote another.

 

While some netizens claim they are also boycotting due to Pakistan cricket's recent blunders and lacklustre performance at the global stage, the PCB and sponsors are yet to respond to any of the concerns.