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It's a shame Pakistani cricketers are not playing in IPL

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Md Hussain Rahmani
Md Hussain RahmaniApr 14, 2015 | 19:54

It's a shame Pakistani cricketers are not playing in IPL

If the Indian Premier League (IPL) T20 is all about entertainment, then cricket fans have certainly come short of getting it this time. The likes of Wahab Riaz, Mohammad Irfan, Saeed Ajmal, Shahid Afridi, and a few other Pakistani players are missing in action, and no one would diasgree that they would have added to the glitz and glamour of the biggest event of the shortest form of cricket.

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We're now in the second week of the tournament; we have already seen batting onslaughts by Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum. Not to mention, Mumbai Indians' Harbhajan Singh's blitz (64 off 24 balls) against Kings XI Punjab. It would have been a total thrill if these batsmen had to face Pakistani speedsters. Remember how left-arm fast bowler Riaz, with his whistling bouncers, got stalwarts Michael Clarke and Shane Watson scared at their home turf? That fiery spell at the World Cup quarter final won a million hearts despite the team going down against the Kangaroos.

The IPL is a true cricket carnival. Players of the world play for the team they represent and fans cheer for their performances, be it for an Indian or Australian. Here, the spirit of sports rules, not jingoistic chants. This is a great opportunity to make Pakistani players play for India and cheer for them too. All cricket fans like me would love to watch Riaz's magic once again. Alas! The IPL is forbidden fruit for Pakistani players this time. Politics has taken over the sports. Of late, the two neighbouring countries have not played bilateral cricket because diplomatic ties always dictate our sporting ties.

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The fact is, there is no official ban that prevents Pakistani players from participating in the IPL. They were part of the opening IPL in 2008. In the aftermath of the Mumbai terror attacks that year, franchise owners unanimously decided not to bid for any Pakistani player. The diktat of 2008 still remains in force, despite India playing against Pakistan several times at the international level. The Pakistanis had even visited India to play three ODIs and two T20s in 2012-13. May I ask the BCCI and the IPL franchise owners - if Pakistani players can come to India and play international games, why can't individual players participate in the IPL? Why this apartheid? In 2010, Shah Rukh Khan, the co-owner of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), irked the Shiv Sena after revealing that he wanted a few Pakistani players to play, but could not bid for them because of political pressure.

The Pakistan side is supposed to visit India again in December this year as part of a six-series contract for the next seven years signed between the cricket boards of the two nations.

I hope that after the resumption of bilateral ties, Pakistani players would get a chance to play for India and we, the Indian cricket fans, will cheer for them.

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Last updated: April 14, 2015 | 19:54
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