What happened today in Mumbai was shameful and every Indian must be ashamed to the treatment given by the IPL franchises to the 11 Pakistani Players on Auction. Pakistan is not slated to play any international Cricket in the IPL 3 slot and hence the excuse that availability of Pakistani players was an issue is totally false. The decision by the franchises is not only incorrect cricketing wise but has insulted Pakistan as a nation.
Why were the Pakistani Players asked to get NOCs from the Pakistani Cricket Board, why were they are to get their VISAs sorted out, why all the drama over the deadlines when you knew that the franchises would not be able to pick the Pakistani players under Government pressure.
India accuses of Pakistan of 26/11 but then we cannot be at war with our neighbours indefinitely. It is so easy in India to create an Anti Pakistan Environment. Activist television channels package anger. Many seek hot pursuits of terrorists and the destruction of terror camps across the border, the government finds itself besieged. Sending troops across the border is, of course, not an option, but the popular mood usually demands a demonstration of action, and it was very easy for our politicians to use cricket as a tool of appeasement. Today the franchises took an easy option ….. an option to please the people and the government.
In the end, I must say Cricket will be a causality. Make no mistake, Pakistan is World Cup T20 champions and they were runner up in the 1st edition. No one knows to play T20 better than the Pakistanis. We have been stolen with an opportunity to see the best in action.
Pakistani Players and nation as a whole would be upset with the way they were treated by Indians. I, as an Indian apologise. Initiatives like Aman Ki Asha need to reach more people than they are doing right now. I hope common sense will prevail and we get to see people to people contact between the two nations.
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