Afridi does a u-turn,says not interested in IPL

In a virtual u-turn,flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi on Wednesday made it clear that he was "not interested" in taking part in the Indian Premier League.

In a virtual u-turn,flamboyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi on Wednesday made it clear that he was 8220;not interested8221; in taking part in the Indian Premier League and said mere apologies could not compensate the humiliation the Pakistani cricketers faced in the auction.

A day after a website had quoted Afridi as saying he has gotten over the anger at being 8220;snubbed8221; in the IPL auction and was open to play in the Twenty20 event in future,the star cricketer today took a different and more strident stand on his availability.

8220;I am not at all interested in taking part in the IPL. These issues of Pakistani cricketers should have been sorted out before the auction,8221; Afridi informed over phone from Adelaide.

8220;I have forgotten what happened in the IPL auction in Mumbai. But everybody in Pakistan is very disappointed and angry with the insult. So good luck to Modi and his IPL,8221; Afridi said.

All the 11 Pakistani players in the 67-strong pool went unsold in the glitzy auction in Mumbai on January 19,prompting angry reactions from Pakistan.

8220;Mere apology can8217;t compensate the humiliation Pakistan cricketers faced in the auction,where the cricketers were called,8221; Afridi said.

Afridi was also of the view that Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan and Indian Home Minister P Chidambaram8217;s statements have only vindicated Pakistan8217;s claim that their players were insulted.

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8220;The statements of Shah Rukh Khan and Chidambaram have confirmed that the Pakistani cricketers were not treated properly in the auction,8221; he said.

8220;I am not talking about myself only,but I think,all were left insulted after the incident. The IPL franchises must have had something in their minds,8221; he added.

Asked whether politics had played any role in the non-selection of the Pakistani cricketers,Afridi said,8221;There is lot of politics in sports in both the countries.8221;

8220;When the bilateral relation between the two countries are not good,how do you expect sports to flourish?8221; he asked. Afridi had only yesterday told a website that if an opportunity came his way,he would like to play in India in the Champions League or IPL in future provided he gets the government8217;s go ahead.

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The all-rounder had said he was guided by the teachings of Holy Prophet and willing to forget and forgive what happened in the IPL.

8220;After the IPL auction I was deeply hurt and angry,the way Pakistani players were treated was disrespectful and in my view wrong. Whose fault it was..I don8217;t know,8221; he had said.