Ticked off by PC,Modi hints Pak players may play IPL

A day after Home Minister criticised IPL organisers,Lalit Modi said cricketers from across the border still had a chance to be part of the T20 event.

A day after Home Minister P Chidambaram criticised Indian Premier League organisers for doing a disservice to cricket by not including Pakistani players,IPL chief Lalit Modi said cricketers from across the border still had a chance to be part of the Twenty20 event.

Some teams have still not finished their quota of players and some players could drop out,franchises can choose Pakistani players as replacements or fill vacancies, Modi told CNN-IBN. He rejected allegations of mishandling the matter.

I dont think theres any mishandling,the franchises decide on their own. We never said in the first place that the government in any which way nudged us in that direction. It was a decision that was taken by the franchises and let us leave it at that, he said.

A top official of the Kolkata Knight Riders told The Indian Express that the transfer window had shut but if a special window was opened for Pakistan players,the KKR would consider it.

In Karachi,Salman Ahmed of Portfolio World,a sports management company that represents several players,said: There are signs that Lalit Modi might find a way to open a door for franchises to sign on Pakistani cricketers even for this season.

A PTI report,quoting sources in the Pakistan Cricket Board,said that despite furore created by the snub to Pakistani cricketers at the IPL auction,the board was willing to patch up with the Indian board. If Modi is willing to accept that our players were not treated properly,fairly and move forward,we can also reciprocate, a PCB official said.

All-rounder Shahid Afridi said he had got over the anger he felt at being snubbed and was open to playing the Twenty20 league.

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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 was8230; I dont know, Afridi said in a statement posted on pakpassion.net. In times like these,as a Muslim the examples of our Prophet has guided me and Im therefore willing to forgive and forget what has happened and look forward, he said.

Sohail Tanvir too said he was ready to play in the IPL if invited. I have nothing personal against India and if any

opportunity arises in future where I am invited to play in the IPL or Champions League,I will definitely go to play if my seniors do the same, Tanvir said. I will do whatever my seniors tell me to do or go by the guidelines provided by the Pakistan Cricket Board.