Non-inclusion of Pak cricketers in IPL disservice to cricket: PC

“…I think it is disservice to cricket that some of these players were not picked. I don’t know why the IPL teams acted in the manner they acted. But certainly to suggest that there was a hint or nudge from the government is completely untrue,” the minister told Times Now.

No Pakistani player was bought by the eight IPL teams during an auction last week for the third edition of the competition despite Pakistan being the reigning world champions in the Twenty20 format of cricket,triggering a strong reaction from Pakistan government which saw it as snub and called-off official visits to India.

Asked whether he thought that Pakistan was over-reacting on the issue,Chidambaram said “well,you see,if no player from a country is picked,obviously the country does feel insulted. But whether the reaction is proportionate or not it is not for me to comment.

“But as I said,cricket lovers are disappointed that no player from Pakistan was picked. I think that could have been avoided.”