Let's be nice to Pakistanis: SRK, Minister

Mumbai: The Indian Premier League could have handled the controversy over franchisees not selecting Pakistani cricketers at an auction in a “nicer manner”, says actor Shah Rukh Khan, who owns the Kolkata Knight Riders team.

"If there is an issue with any other country I think it can be resolved in a friendly and nicer manner,” Khan said.

“I believe my country stands for democracy, goodness and welcome-ness. We should open our arms to everyone and I think we should have a little more leeway in involving people from all over the world to come and showcase their talent,” he said.

None of the 11 Pakistani players in the fray was picked by any of the eight Indian Premier League franchisees in the January 19 auction in Mumbai and entire Pakistan cried foul after the snub.

Khan said Kolkata Knight Riders didn’t pick up any Pakistani cricketer because it didn’t have any slot left after picking up New Zealand’s Shande Bond.

Sports Minister M S Gill, too, agreed that IPL would learn a lesson from the auction controversy. "I have seen the graceful response of some Pakistani cricketers to the IPL auction fiasco. I welcome the remarks and hope there will soon be an opportunity for these boys to play exciting cricket in India," Gill told PTI.

Gill asked the franchisee owners to learn a lesson from the episode. "I trust that the IPL corporate owners of cricket have also taken a small lesson from it. Everyone must realise that sports are the bedrock of people-to-people contact, which we need to promote with our neighbours," said Gill.

Pakistani cricketers Shahid Afridi and Sohail Tanvir had alleged that IPL had humiliated them and their country but later offered to put behind the episode and make themselves available for the world’s richest cricket league.

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter and Google+)

#Indian Premier League #IPL auction #Shah Rukh Khan #Kolkata Knight Riders