Indian Premier League commissioner Lalit Modi has said that Pakistan players will feature in the fourth season of the IPL,after no cricketers from the country were chosen for the third edition,starting next month. We have always welcomed Pakistan cricketers in India and they will be part of IPL season four, Modi told the Geo News Channel. Modi said that cricketers from Pakistan had always been welcomed in India and that the countrys board should have a positive attitude when it comes to the IPL. The Pakistan Cricket Board also needs to adopt a positive mindset towards the IPL as we have always welcomed Pakistan cricketers to India, he said. Modi believes it was a misconception that the Indian cricket board was behind the decision of franchises not to bid for Pakistan cricketers in the players auction for season three. We cant force the franchises to bid for players from any country in the players auction. It is their team and they are free to decide which players they want. How can anyone blame the BCCI for this? questioned Modi. Pakistan Cricket Board chief Ejaz Butt recently told a Senate standing committee that Modi had asked the franchises not to bid for Pakistan players,as there were security issues linked to them playing in India. Pakistan has also described the IPL snub to its players as a deliberate attempt to humiliate them after including them in the players auction list. Left-arm seamer Sohail Tanvir,who was the leading wicket-taker during the first season of the IPL,when his side Rajasthan Royals won the trophy,said he could not see any logic behind franchises ignoring Pakistan players at the auction. Forget about me,I am not in the top category of players,but tell me how can any franchise not bid for experienced T20 specialist performers like Shahid Afridi or Umar Gul,or for an exciting young talent like Umar Akmal at the players auction? Obviously there was something fishy about the whole thing, said Tanvir. Big disappointment He admitted that not being able to play in IPL III was a big disappointment for him. I was the best bowler of the first tournament and I want another opportunity to prove to everyone that performance was not a fluke. I am eager to play in the IPL once again,whenever it is possible, Tanvir added. The IPL commissioner maintained that it had always been the wish of the Indian cricket board to include players from all countries taking part in the league since it was a global event. Modi also said in his interview that after the players auction,he had not spoken to the PCB on the IPL issue. I have had no discussions on the IPL with the PCB, he said.
