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Pak players fail to get visa, won't play IPL 3: Modi
Pakistani players will not play in the IPL 3 as their board has failed to obtain their visas before the deadline for confirmation of participation.
New Delhi:
After missing out on all the IPL action in South Africa earlier this year, Pakistani players will not be playing the next edition too, as their board has failed to obtain their visas before the deadline for confirmation of participation, IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi said on Monday.
"We have been informed by PCB that they have not been able to obtain the visas as of now. So we are not being able to extend the deadline. Today is the absolute deadline for confirmation of Pakistani players (to take part in IPL). The exchange window is day after tomorrow," Modi said.
"Unfortunately, the Pakistani players are out and they will not be allowed to take part in the next IPL because we are handicapped by the fact that the exchange window is day after tomorrow. We are informing the teams that they now can go for the replacement of the Pakistani players," he told a TV channel.
The Indian Premier League 3 will be played at various venues in the country in March-April.
Pakistani cricketers took part in the IPL's inaugural season in April-May 2008, but were denied permission by Islamabad to play in the second edition earlier this year due to growing political tensions with India.
The 2009 tournament was shifted to South Africa in April-May when the Indian government said it could not guarantee adequate security because the event clashed with general elections.
Five Pakistan cricketers -- Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Abdul Razzaq, Misbah-ul Haq and Kamran Akmal -- have existing contracts with IPL franchises.
Contracts of seven other Pakistanis, including Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar, were terminated by the respective franchises after the inaugural edition.
Pakistani players were expected to be hot property for the franchises competing in the third edition after the national team won the World Twenty20 tournament in England in June.
The Pakistan Cricket Board said last week Islamabad had granted permission to the players to take part in the IPL, but the delay in securing Indian visas created a hurdle.
The IPL features the world's top cricketers playing for eight Indian club sides owned by billionaire industrialists and movie stars.
(With agency inputs)
"We have been informed by PCB that they have not been able to obtain the visas as of now. So we are not being able to extend the deadline. Today is the absolute deadline for confirmation of Pakistani players (to take part in IPL). The exchange window is day after tomorrow," Modi said.
"Unfortunately, the Pakistani players are out and they will not be allowed to take part in the next IPL because we are handicapped by the fact that the exchange window is day after tomorrow. We are informing the teams that they now can go for the replacement of the Pakistani players," he told a TV channel.
The Indian Premier League 3 will be played at various venues in the country in March-April.
Pakistani cricketers took part in the IPL's inaugural season in April-May 2008, but were denied permission by Islamabad to play in the second edition earlier this year due to growing political tensions with India.
The 2009 tournament was shifted to South Africa in April-May when the Indian government said it could not guarantee adequate security because the event clashed with general elections.
Five Pakistan cricketers -- Umar Gul, Sohail Tanvir, Abdul Razzaq, Misbah-ul Haq and Kamran Akmal -- have existing contracts with IPL franchises.
Contracts of seven other Pakistanis, including Shahid Afridi and Shoaib Akhtar, were terminated by the respective franchises after the inaugural edition.
Pakistani players were expected to be hot property for the franchises competing in the third edition after the national team won the World Twenty20 tournament in England in June.
The Pakistan Cricket Board said last week Islamabad had granted permission to the players to take part in the IPL, but the delay in securing Indian visas created a hurdle.
The IPL features the world's top cricketers playing for eight Indian club sides owned by billionaire industrialists and movie stars.
(With agency inputs)
Topics mentioned in this article
Cricket
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