NEW DELHI, Feb 3 (KUNA) — In what is being described as a tit-for-tat reaction to India’s last year decision restricting its cricket team to tour Pakistan citing “security concerns,” Pakistan has directed its cricketers against playing in the forthcoming second season of the Tewnty20 IPL (Indian Premier League) tournament.
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) told its players that they might be prone to attacks while playing in India. As many as 11 Pakistani cricketers had taken part in IPL’s first session played last year.
Announcing that Pakistani cricketers would not be allowed for the tournament, IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi said, “Pakistan’s foreign office has advised its national cricketers not to travel to India. This is something which is out of our control.” The IPL Twenty20 tournament was a huge hit last year attracting lot of crowds and sponsorships. This was the first time when a Twenty20 tournament was organized by any country after taking a cue from such tournaments in the USA.
Auction for players for IPL’s next season would be carried out on February 6. World class players win huge price tags for playing in different IPL teams owned by different leading Indian businessmen like Mukesh Ambani and Vijay Mallya and film-stars like Shahrukh Khan and Preity Zinta.