IPL exclusion: India, Pakistan hurl bouncers at each other

The snub meted out to Pakistani cricketers at the IPL 3 auction, when none of the 11 players were picked up by the franchisees, has taken the issue from sport field to cross-border diplomatic row.

The Pakistani government has gone to the extent of saying that the country would give a befitting reply to the "humiliating" treatment meted out to its players. There have been calls in Pakistan for the boycott of other sporting events in India, amid charges of Indian government’s nudge in what has been termed as an “insult” by star batsman Shahid Afridi.

External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna had made it clear in New Delhi on January 21 the government had nothing to do with Indian Premier League or the selection of players and various exercises that are connected with it. He was responding to a question about a Pakistani Minister’s observation that the rejection of cricket players from his country was done at the behest of the Indian government and showed that New Delhi was not serious about the peace process.

And on Friday, IPL commissioner Lalit Modi rejected allegations that Pakistani players were deliberately snubbed at the players' auction and blamed the entire furore on media bias. "The media is biased. No one talks about the players from countries like Australia, Canada and Zimbabwe not being picked in the auction. There was no preconceived conspiracy to leave Pakistani players," Modi affirmed. The issue has outraged players, politicians and fans across the border.

Bollywood actor and Rajasthan Royals team's co-owner Shilpa Shetty also denied any planned conspiracy against the players from Pakistan. "I don't owe any explanation. We are not a small country and the decision was not a contrived one. There is nothing bigger than cricket but everything is getting murky," Shilpa Shetty said. "I am very hurt and there have been hate mails also. We have lost some of the greatest players in the world, but why doesn't anyone talk about Australia, England and so many others who were not picked in the auction?" she asked.

Modi also said he did not influence any of franchises' picks at the auction and there was never an intent to humiliate the Pakistani cricketers, as is being alleged across the border. "IPL has put its best foot forward at the auction. It is up to the team owners to decide whom to take. They have different reasons," he said. He blamed the media saying “the way you people are writing, you are damaging the already fragile relationship (between India and Pakistan) further. There is no reason we would want to humiliate Pakistani players," he clarified.

External Affairs Minister Krishna said: “Pakistan will have to draw a line between where the Government of India is connected and where the Government of India is an actor, while the Foreign Office came out with a detailed response, and asked Pakistan to introspect on the reasons which have put a strain on bilateral ties. Pakistan’s Foreign Office had charged the cold-shouldering was influenced by “variables extraneous to sports.”

Pakistan Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit told the media it was ironic that instead of requesting sporting agencies to resolve the issue, “India is again engaging in a blame game, point-scoring and continuing its unwillingness to resolve bilateral issues through dialogue and peaceful means.” Civil society groups and political parties have protested against the incident, while association of the cable TV operators in Pakistan has announced that they will not show any IPL match.

The Indian government debunked reports that apprehensions of unavailability of visas were the prime reason for the IPL franchisees not showing interest in Pakistani cricketers. “Such [an] apprehension is completely misplaced. Seventeen Pakistani cricketers were issued Indian visas at very short notice in December 2009 and January 2010 to participate in IPL 2010. Two visas were issued in Islamabad, while three were issued in Wellington [New Zealand] and 12 in Sydney [Australia], where the Pakistani cricketers had applied while touring New Zealand and Australia respectively. Based on a request from the Pakistan Cricket Board to the High Commission of India in Islamabad, the Ministry of External Affairs facilitated necessary clearances from other Ministries of the Government of India,” said the Foreign Office statement in New Delhi.

- Asian Tribune -