Pakistan Cricketers, Ex-Cricketers and Administrators Lash Out at India Over IPL Snub

Sreelata YellamrazuJan 19 2010

The fact that none of the Pakistan cricketers were bid for by the franchisees caused a great amount of disappointment, anger and humiliation for the Pakistan cricketers and they were not hiding it.

shahid afridi appeals

On the surface, it seemed virtually ludicrous that the franchisees would pass up the opportunity to pick some of the good cricketers from the ICC World Twenty20 winning Pakistan team. But it seemed the reasons were obvious as well.

Shahid Afridi was expected to be one of the main draws alongside West Indies' Kieron Pollard. But none of the franchisees forwarded their interest in the Pakistan Twenty20 captain when the auctions got underway, raising enormous surprise.

Afridi later expressed his disdain, "The way I see it, the IPL and India have made fun of us and our country by treating us this way. We are the Twenty20 World Champions and for me the attitude of the franchises was disappointing. I feel bad for the Indian people who I am sure wanted to see us play in the IPL this year."

Sohail Tanvir felt humiliated at the way Pakistan players were played for, stating, "They mean to say none of our players are good enough to be in the IPL. I am sorry to say the franchises have taken a decision not based on cricketing sense but on political grounds which is a shame and has hurt the image of the sport."

It is a view echoed by former cricketers as well who feel it is best to ignore the snub and when the opportunity presents itself, to show India that Pakistan tend to leave politics behind when it comes to sport.

Abdul Razzaq felt it was all a conspiracy between the Indian government and the IPL/BCCI and wondered why India did not tell upfront that it did not want the Pakistan cricketers and let them go through the charade over visa issues and deadlines.

Clearly there is unrest across the border.

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