Not Afridi or Akhtar: The last Pakistan star to play an IPL final

Sohail Tanvir’s winning run in the 2008 IPL final symbolically marked the last meaningful appearance of Pakistani players in the league. After the 2008 Mumbai attacks, political tensions led to their exclusion from IPL auctions. Though Azhar Mahmood later played as a British citizen, Pakistani players remain effectively barred due to visa issues, political risk, and commercial pressures.