‘Shiv Sena threat may hinder Pakistan players’ return to IPL’
The improving ties between the Pakistan and India cricket boards, which resulted in the confirmation of a short series between the archrivals in December, also made the possibility of Pakistan players featuring in the IPL ‘higher than ever’. The last time Pakistan cricketers took part in the IPL was in 2008.
However, according to India media reports, despite the mends between the two boards, the participation of Pakistani players in next year’s IPL still looks unlikely.
It suggested that the presence of two teams — Mumbai and Pune — based in Maharashtra, which the Shiv Sena has made a no-go area for Pakistan cricketers, is an obstacle for their inclusion in IPL-6 that starts in April next year.
Sena chief Bal Thackeray recently repeated his call to ‘staunch Hindus and the patriotic public’ to not allow Indo-Pak cricket matches in India.
Pakistan players have not featured in the league following the first edition in the aftermath of the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The country’s players, however, were up for grabs in auction for the 2009 edition with none of the teams showing an interest.
Decision of inclusion likely in January
While the BCCI remained unperturbed over the threats, one of its official admitted it was a ‘concern’ with regards to IPL participation.
“These issues will come under discussion by the IPL council in the coming days,” the BCCI official told The Express Tribune. “The IPL is definitely different than hosting Pakistan series as a lot of venues are involved.”
“But at the moment, Pakistan players’ participation is not the core discussion as teams are busy in the process of retaining players and making transfers.
“The final decision of their inclusion is likely to be made in January while it may come under discussion on November 21 in the governing council meeting.”
The BCCI invited Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chairman Zaka Ashraf to witness the IPL final this year, while Pakistan’s domestic champions Sialkot Stallions were invited for the Champions League T20 tournament for the first time as well.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 8th, 2012.
COMMENTS (25)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
I think we indians have giving chance to the pak players bcoz they are human this is about huminism
What's with all the Indians and their nonsensical anti-Pakistan comments on this site? If you don't like us, get off our websites and news! I certainly don't have time to watch NDTV, ZTV News and the various other news channels you guys have (my ignorance proves my point).
You're just attempting to justify your hatred through all of this.
Come on, you have far more prosperity in terms of economy, and politics in your nation than ours, stop attacking us verbally at every opportunity you get and go enlighten yourselves with something more positive than internet flaming!
@Tj,
Here you go:
Pakistanis came to India and murdered innocent Indians and non Indians alike. So Dhoni or Gambhir, being Indians, dedicated the victory to the murdered victims. A lot of Pakistanis for whatever reason seem to miss the obvious truth which is so clearly evident to the rest of humanity. But, with denial being a river in Pakistan, what else can we expect ?
@Texan ..What is pakistan forgiving India??. Its pakistan which sent terriost to India, fought 3 wars and lost all 3 . So India has forgiven you (Hypocrites) and allowed for Cricket match. If your country has little shame then your players should not come to India. Secondly its not only Shiv Sena , 166 people have lost their life. They are angry that street dog(Hafiz saeed) is still roaming in Pakistan. So why don't you condemn him?
@vivek wow you guys are truly dillusional arent u? How can you justify dhonis statement .. We arent defending afridis are we? Advice for you and all your countrymen keep sports separate from politics!
@Texan, I am not understanding what is "big and forgiving" in relentlessly begging us to be readmitted back to the IPL ?
@Texan So, you commit the mumbai atrocity in the first place and then you forgive us? cool.
@Tj:
WOW Tj ... now that's hitting the nail on the head. Hopefully, it wont show it's head anymore ;)
Indians need to stop defending Shiv Sena. Whats wrong is wrong ... don't keep changing your standards and use the same standards when judging the Taliban ... who also happen to be less than 0.01% of Pakistan's population.
@Rahul:
You're just proving that "Indians don't have a big heart" ... we Pakistanis, on the other hand, have a big and forgiving heart. And if Shiv Sena is either a paper tiger or a street dog .... and said something that's wrong ... then condone it/him !!! Don't imitate him on this blog :)
@Tj What do you think Dhoni should do ? Dedicate the victory to the pakistani attackers? He is the captain of the Indian cricket team not pakistan's. Got it ?
And what about dhonis statement dedicating the semi final win over Pakistan as a revenge for mumbai attacks?
If such statement come from Pak. leader he must tag as extremist and everyone start condemning it. An extremist is extremist no matter what religion he follows, what type and c0lour of cloth he wears, what laguage he speaks and in which country he live.No if and buts are allowed. Despite difference and bitter past Pak and India always keep their relations intact, so what is point of issuing such statement.
we are trying our best to enlarge the size of our hearts and change our jehaniat ,when we are done with it we will be heartily welcoming your teams...
Shahid Afridi once said that Indian's don't have a Big heart. So now if he is selected in one of the IPL Teams he will come running.Also sometime back he praised IPL has best cricket league. Why are pakistani players desperate for IPL? Why is PCB desperate to have matches with India ?..
If they don't like India/Indians please dont come to our county ... Be happy in our country. Biggest example of hypocrites are in world are pakistani people..
@Somesh. True.
Now look at the Pakistani achievements. 1. Operation Bojinka was planned and about to be executed by Pakistanis(ramzi yousef). Had it gone through, it would have made 9/11 look like a fire cracker. 2. 9/11 was planned by khalid sheikh mohammad, a baloch, unless pakistan wants to disown balochistan. Now, mran khan keeps mentioning that pakistan has got nothing to do with the war in terror. makes you wonder... 3. 2007 London tube attacks were planned and executed by Pakistanis.
Now, I am wondering about the attacks done by Shiv Sena.I will list them here when I have them ready.
@Amer: Name one incident where Bal Thackrey has hurt Pakistan directly.
@Mohinder sandhu: Yes, actually Bal thackrey is the most peace loving human being on this planet. He wouldn't hurt a fly and all of the things attribued to him are our imagination.
why bring in the name of shiv sena when the famous Pakistani cricket player said "Indians-read hindus- are not largehearted". I mean, he sits in his house and passes derogatory comments on Indians, and you want Indians to hire them in IPL and pay them in millions, why? what for?.
if anything,we are happy with champions league and other foreign players, understand this,it's not just shiv sena, it's the majority now.
Getting politics into sports is not a good idea....I think Shivsena should change its stand over this issue! They have already lost a lot of voters because of their caste and religion based statements....
This guy is over 80 yrs old & is on his death bed. Grow-up pakistan !!!
It suggested that the presence of two teams — Mumbai and Pune — based in Maharashtra, which the Shiv Sena has made a no-go area for Pakistan cricketers, is an obstacle for their inclusion in IPL-6 that starts in April next year. I dont like the Shiv Sena which only has a nuisance value but i dont understand why Pakistani newspapers rant about a paper tiger elsewhere.... Shiv Sena did not send a boat load of people to Karachi from Mumbai.. Shiv Sena did not train people in Balochistan (the way some one on the other side does for Kashmir).... Shiv Sena does not fly planes into Twin towers.. Shiv Sena does not makes fanatics attack visiting cricket teams which had to be flown from the cricket pitch on military planes for safety purposes... It just does not want a country's team to visit its hometown place while its people keep sending 'GUESTS' trained on AK-47s, AK-56s, hand grenades & rocket launchers.... On the other side: 1. Adnan Sami resides in Mumbai 2. Humaima Malick has bought a new flat in Mumbai 3. Various bollywood movies records songs of Pakistani singers in Mumbai... Pakistanis need to ponder over these....
Shame. I almost know for certain that Pune Warriors won't buy a Pakistani player even if they were allowed in the auction. We really need some good players.
So why has Wasim Akram been allowed to work for KKR? Why did Azhar Mahmood play last year (someone who HAS played for Pak in the past, and is now a GB citizen)....enough of this nonsensical reporting ET. Jack all is going to happen.
but shiv sena are peaceful and lovely people they said.
I don,t know why in pakistan bal thackrey is framed as big threat.Compared with people like hafeez saeed and others.May be in pakistani media some body is looking for boogey man.Bal thackrey has extreme views.He was voted out of government, to stay in lime light he keep giving nonsense statements.He is more o fa paper tiger.He is not a gun totting terrorist.