Pakistani players confident of playing in IPL

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is expecting a major breakthrough in cricket relations with India in the next few days after the Indian Premier League (IPL) players' auction fiasco resulted in an unexpected wave of sympathy for Pakistani players and cricket.

Sources in PCB told MiD DAY that following the IPL auction, where Pakistani players were snubbed by the franchises, there has been a lot of developments going on behind the scenes, even at the government level.

"Even the Indians were not expecting such a strong reaction after the IPL auction and IPL commissioner Lalit Modi and franchises are now bending backwards to accommodate some Pakistani players for the third season," a source said.

"What has happened now is that the IPL and its franchises realise they are getting plenty of bad press after the auction and no one is willing to accept the reasons they are offering for ignoring Pakistani players at the auction," another source said.

"And now, a couple of Pakistani players have been approached by franchises for the third season but the PCB has told the players not to make any commitments until they get proper contracts from the franchises."

The PCB source said Kolkata Knight Riders, Royal Challengers Bangalore and Deccan Chargers were willing to take Pakistani players on board as substitutes for injured players.

"Royal Challengers Bangalore have lost New Zealander Jesse Ryder due to an injury and other franchises are also facing similar problems with their foreign signings, so these are good signs for Pakistani players," he said.

All-rounder Abdul Razzaq said that he had verbal offers from Deccan Chargers and Kolkata Knight Riders and was keen to play in the IPL despite the auction fiasco. "Discussions are going on and I am keeping the Board abreast of all developments," Razzaq said.

Sources said Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Umar Akmal and Kamran Akmal were among the other players also getting approaches from the IPL franchises. "The picture will be clear in the next few days. You will see there will be Pakistani participation in the IPL," a source confirmed.