Union Minister for Youth and Sports M.S. Gill on Wednesday advised the owners of Indian Premier League (IPL) to take a “small lesson” from the episode of non-selection of any of the 11 Pakistani cricketers at the auction and “realise” the importance of promoting people-to-people ties in mending bilateral ties.
Dr. Gill became the second Union Minister after P Chidambaram to take on the IPL owners for ignoring cricketers from Pakistan despite the fact that the nation is a powerhouse of cricket and currently the T-20 champions. Actor and owner of an IPL team Shahrukh Khan has also regretted the ignoring of Pakistani players.
In a statement to PTI, a transcript of which was circulated to the media by Dr. Gill’s office, the Minister hoped there would soon be an opportunity for “these” boys to play exciting cricket in India.
“I have noted reports of the Secretary of the Pakistan Hockey Association of their preparations to come for the Hockey World Cup in Delhi on the 28th of February. I look forward to an exciting opening match between India and Pakistan,” he said.
“I trust, that the IPL corporate owners of cricket, have also taken a small lesson, from all this. Everyone must realise, that sports are the bedrock, of people-to-people contact, which we need to promote, with our neighbours,” he added.
Government stand
The government had delinked itself from the controversy, saying the participation or absence of Pakistani cricketers in a commercial event like the IPL is a matter not within its purview. Sources in the Ministry of External Affairs said issuance of visas was not a problem and had they been selected, Pakistani players were welcome to play in the tournament.
The former Foreign Secretaries, Muchkund Dubey and Kanwal Sibal, have described the episode as irrational and shocking. Both pointed out that in normal circumstances the players would not have been ignored as Pakistan “is a solid cricket playing nation and its cricketers are among the best in the world in the limited overs format.”
