The Pakistan board today appeared to turn its back on the Indian Premier League, saying none of its cricketers would play in the tournament and revoking the no-objection certificates it had issued to its players.
“None of my boys will go and play the league in India until the IPL improves its attitude and comes to acceptable standards,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt told The Telegraph.
But a PCB statement seemed to keep an escape hatch open, saying: “If any player receives an invitation in future to play IPL, the PCB would take a decision on a case-to-case basis after consulting relevant government authorities.”
Butt demanded an apology from IPL commissioner Lalit Modi for the “humiliation” meted out to the 11 Pakistani cricketers listed for the January 19 auction, where none of them was bid for.
“While the statements coming from Indian home minister P. Chidambaram are very good and those of Bollywood figures like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan positive, we expect an apology from IPL,” the PCB chief said.
The board statement said the PCB was revoking all the no-objection certificates granted to its cricketers for participating in IPL III, scheduled to begin on March 12.
Butt said the players had been taken into confidence. “I have told all the players, including Abdul Razzaq (who is said to be on the radar of at least two teams), clearly that they cannot go to India to play without our permission. Razzaq and the other players agree with our viewpoint,” he said, maintaining the decision did not come under a government directive.
Butt’s hard stance comes a day after some of the IPL franchisees appeared to be considering a way out of the impasse by accommodating a few Pakistani cricketers.
Modi refused to comment on the PCB decision. “I have already said that only the Rajasthan Royals have the spot as well as the purse (to buy a foreign player). If some player is genuinely injured and they want him replaced, they will have to approach the IPL. If the IPL committee is satisfied about the injury, we could allow the team to replace the player,” Modi said.
Franchisee sources said the hardening of Butt’s stand followed Modi’s reported statement that “no team has made an offer (for Razzaq)”.
This, the sources said, ran counter to Butt’s claim on Wednesday that Razzaq had been approached by the Deccan Chargers, a claim the franchise later rebutted.
Source : http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100130/jsp/frontpage/story_12046035.jsp
“None of my boys will go and play the league in India until the IPL improves its attitude and comes to acceptable standards,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Ijaz Butt told The Telegraph.
But a PCB statement seemed to keep an escape hatch open, saying: “If any player receives an invitation in future to play IPL, the PCB would take a decision on a case-to-case basis after consulting relevant government authorities.”
Butt demanded an apology from IPL commissioner Lalit Modi for the “humiliation” meted out to the 11 Pakistani cricketers listed for the January 19 auction, where none of them was bid for.
“While the statements coming from Indian home minister P. Chidambaram are very good and those of Bollywood figures like Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan positive, we expect an apology from IPL,” the PCB chief said.
The board statement said the PCB was revoking all the no-objection certificates granted to its cricketers for participating in IPL III, scheduled to begin on March 12.
Butt said the players had been taken into confidence. “I have told all the players, including Abdul Razzaq (who is said to be on the radar of at least two teams), clearly that they cannot go to India to play without our permission. Razzaq and the other players agree with our viewpoint,” he said, maintaining the decision did not come under a government directive.
Butt’s hard stance comes a day after some of the IPL franchisees appeared to be considering a way out of the impasse by accommodating a few Pakistani cricketers.
Modi refused to comment on the PCB decision. “I have already said that only the Rajasthan Royals have the spot as well as the purse (to buy a foreign player). If some player is genuinely injured and they want him replaced, they will have to approach the IPL. If the IPL committee is satisfied about the injury, we could allow the team to replace the player,” Modi said.
Franchisee sources said the hardening of Butt’s stand followed Modi’s reported statement that “no team has made an offer (for Razzaq)”.
This, the sources said, ran counter to Butt’s claim on Wednesday that Razzaq had been approached by the Deccan Chargers, a claim the franchise later rebutted.
Source : http://www.telegraphindia.com/1100130/jsp/frontpage/story_12046035.jsp
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