By IANS,
Karachi : Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt Tuesday made it clear that he would not go out of his way to persuade Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to accommodate his players in the second edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).
The Pakistani cricketers were released from the IPL after the tensions between the two countries post last year’s Mumbai terror attack.
The BCCI’s decision to shift the IPL abroad as it clashed with the general elections in in India has given Pakistani players hope of participating in the Twenty20 league.
Leading Pakistani stars have started to campaign for another stint in the IPL following reports that the event is expected to be played in South Africa or England.
Butt assured he would contact BCCI to explore the possibility of Pakistani players featuring in the league but said if the IPL bosses have already decided against including them, then he would not persist.
Pakistan’s Sports Minister Aftab Shah Jilani, too, said he would discuss the issue with the authorities but was quick to add that he would first wait for word from the Pakistani and Indian cricket officials.