Afridi laments IPL snub of Pakistan players by AFP

---

Player:

Shahid Afridi

---

DateLine: 9th December 2009

 

All-rounder Shahid Afridi said Wednesday he was disappointed that Pakistani players could not take part in the lucrative Indian Premier League, calling for more support from across the border.

 

The 29-year-old was reacting to news that Pakistani players will miss the third edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) due to a delay in securing visas for the Twenty20 event in India.

 

"Pakistani players are the most sought-after in India and if they play there it would be the first step towards the revival of cricket between the two countries," Afridi told AFP.

 

IPL commissioner Lalit Modi ruled out Pakistani players' participation in the league after the deadline for completing all formalities -- including obtaining visas for the March 12-April 25 event -- elapsed on Monday.

 

"We are world champions of Twenty20 cricket and the whole world wants to see us play, including the Indian fans who ask us about our participation," Afridi said.

 

Afridi starred in Pakistan's World Twenty20 win in England in June this year, grabbing man-of-the-match awards in the semi-final victory over South Africa and win over Sri Lanka in the final.

 

But he had failed to produce his destructive batting when he and other Pakistani cricketers took part in the IPL's inaugural season in April-May 2008, with Afridi playing for Deccan Chargers.

 

Pakistani players were then denied permission by Islamabad to play in the second edition earlier this year due to growing political tensions with India.

 

The Pakistan Cricket Board said last week that Islamabad had granted permission to the players to take part in the third season of the IPL, but the delay in securing Indian visas created an obstacle.

 

Five Pakistan cricketers -- Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Abdul Razzaq, Misbah-ul Haq and Kamran Akmal -- have existing contracts with IPL franchises.

 

Seven other Pakistanis, including Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar, had contracts terminated by the respective franchises after the inaugural edition.

 

Afridi said security would not be a problem for Pakistani players in India.

 

"We have played in India in even worse circumstances," said Afridi, referring to a tour of India in 1999 when Hindu extremists made threats against Pakistani players.

 

"Cricket must go on, the whole world wants to see Pakistan and India play together," he added.

 

India stalled a series with Pakistan after the attacks in Mumbai last year, which New Delhi blamed on a Pakistan-based militant group.

 

The attacks also prompted New Delhi to refuse permission for the national team to play in Pakistan earlier this year.

 

Several countries have refused to tour Pakistan due to security fears amid a fierce and violent insurgency by Islamist militants.

 

The latest setback is one of many for Pakistan cricket, which was also dealt a severe blow when the Sri Lankan team bus was attacked in Lahore on March 3, killing eight people and injuring seven visiting players and their assistant coach.

 

The brazen attacks ended all hopes of Pakistan staging international cricket in the foreseeable future. A month later, the ICC stripped the country of its share of World Cup 2011 matches.

(Article: Copyright © 2009 AFP)