Pakistan bars cricketers from playing in IPL

New Delhi: Pakistan on Monday barred its cricketers from playing in Indian Premier League. The Pakistani Foreign Ministry has issued a circular saying that the situation is not conducive for Pakistani cricketers to play in India.

“There may be a security risk to them and these are our national players. The Pakistan Cricket Board had requested us for this opinion and we had our own meeting and then we referred this matter to the Foreign Ministry. So it was decided that it was not conducive for our players to go,” says Pakistan Sports Minister Syed Aftab Jillani.

The decision came just four days before the IPL players’ auction in Goa.

Some of the Pakistani players who are contracted to play in IPL are - Shoaib Malik, Sohail Tanvir, Yusuf Khan, Younis Khan and Umar Gul.

After the 26/11 attack the participation of the Pakistani players was in doubt. Five new players were put up in auction this time but they too will have to cool their heels at home this time.

“No Pakistani players will be participating in this year's IPL. The money that they spent on these players last year would automatically be made available to the teams,” says IPL chairman Lalit Modi.

(With inputs from CNN-IBN)

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