IPL teams ignore Pak players, setting off cries of 'insult'
MUMBAI: When the auction of players for the India Premier League (IPL) III began at 10 minutes past noon, the excitement was all about which player would get the highest bid. But 105 minutes later, the big story was that no Pakistani cricketer was touched by any IPL team, sparking off a row that's fast acquiring political and diplomatic overtones.
All the 11 Pakistanis under the hammer were unsold, even though Pakistan are the reigning World Twenty20 champions. The "insult" sparked off angry protests from the Pakistani players and sports minister Ejaz Jakhrani, indicating that the matter may well take on the shape of a diplomatic row.
After the auction, team owners Priety Zinta and Shilpa Shetty said, "We were looking for players who would be available for the whole tournament. It is not that we specifically didn't want Pakistan players."
However, TOI had reported on December 11 that the IPL teams were unlikely to bid for them. On Monday we reported, based on conversations with franchisee officials, a different reason for not buying Pakistani players. These officials had said they would "go slow" on Pakistani cricketers because they had got signals to that effect.
The IPL team owners were reticent on the matter of having ignored all Pakistani players at the auction on Tuesday, but the cold shoulder has already acquired diplomatic overtones and may well spark a row between the two nations.
Last week, TOI had reported that the franchisees would be wary of picking up the Pakistanis at the auction, with one of the team officials saying, "Today if the Pakistan cricketers come and play in the IPL because they've been granted visas, tomorrow there might be talk saying 'why not give them visas for bilateral tours too.' If such a thing happens, it has the potential to put the government (of India) in an embarrassing situation because whether we admit it or not, relations between the two countries are still cold."
Therefore, he said, franchisees have been "very informally" asked to go slow on Pakistani players. In fact, one team official specifically said that "Rana Naved-ul Hasan is the best bet as far as bowlers are concerned." At the same time, he was equally sure that he wouldn't be bidding for Rana.
Informal indications from the Indian government, also reported by TOI, that Pakistani players would face no problems in getting visas clearly were not enough for the IPL teams to take the risk of paying good money in snapping up these players.
IPL chief Lalit Modi dead-batted incessant media queries on the Pak players, saying, "The franchises had the option to pick any player. If you look, they were not the only ones not picked. Availability is a serious issue with all teams without doubt. Based on that the teams have formed strategies."
The reaction was immediate and emotionally charged. Afridi, who was billed as one of the major attractions of Tuesday's auction, said from Brisbane that he was disappointed and upset with the way things panned out. "The way I see it, the IPL and India have made fun of us and our country by treating us this way," Afridi said.
Senior all-rounder Abdul Razzaq said he saw the snub to Pakistani players as a conspiracy between the IPL and the Indian government to insult Pakistani players. "They have basically tried to hurt our cricket and image and this is most disappointing because I believe there should be no politics in sports," he said.
All-rounder Sohail Tanvir, one of the stars of Rajasthan Royals' IPL winning team in 2008, was no less bitter: "We sent names because we thought the franchises wanted us, but if it is all about politics and security they should be clear about it," Tanvir said.
Pakistan's sports minister echoed the 'insult' theme when he said, "I am surprised and disappointed at the way we have been treated. It is not a good sign for improving and enhancing sporting ties between the two countries."
"We gave them security clearance as well, so it was surprising the way they were snubbed at the auction because they are the best in the world in Twenty20 cricket," he added. Minister Jakhrani said he would ask the Pakistani cricket board to explain why the players were treated in this way even though the government had given the requisite clearances to the players.
PCB chairman Ejaz Butt, however, said he was not bothered by the snub given to Pakistani players. "It really does not bother us. What difference does it make to us if our players don't play in the IPL this season. They didn't play in the last season as well," Butt said. Pakistani cricketers took part in the IPL's inaugural season in 2008, but were denied permission by Islamabad to play last year due to growing political tensions with India.
Reactions on the internet suggest that the feeling of having been insulted extends to fans in Pakistan. In fact, some comments even poured vitriol on former Pakistani captain Wasim Akram for "sucking up to the Indians" by joining the Kolkata Knight Riders team as a bowling consultant.
Most of Pakistan's World Twenty20-winning team was up for auction including captain Afridi. In the absence of a mutual understanding between the franchisees, it is difficult to see how they could all have failed to fetch any bids.
IPL teams ignore Pak players, setting off cries of 'insult' - Top Stories - IPL - Cricket - Sports - The Times of India
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Appears to be the GoI's doing.
Not necessarily all bad though - that is is seen as an insult is good in that it opens the eyes of yet more Pakistanis to the real nature of India.
Also remember the report prepared by the FICCI - these are the people that, when in Pakistan enjoy our hospitality, talk about trade, cultural and sports exchanges, and then bad mouth Pakistan after they leave.
I feel bad for the players in that they missed out on potential income, but most of them are established any way so its not like they'll end up as paupers.
Beyond that, Pakistanis continue to see the true face of India, and the anti-military bashers and peaceniks such as Nadeem F Paracha get discredited and egg on their face.