Pakistan players are not discriminated at IPL

Media is after the IPL teams for not bidding for any of the players from Pakistan. Initially, I was surprised and furious too on their behavior. Why on earth they did not bid for Shahid Afridi? He is not only all-rounder player but also crowd puller. Some people started suggesting that it must be the government's dictate to avoid bidding for them. But the data and the economics says it was otherwise. In the bidding process 66 players applied for the 11 available post for one year contract.

Only one in six players is picked so by random distribution, at best, only two players of Pakistan team could have been selected for the IPL. It is sad that this did not happen. They could have brought warmth to the cricket nevertheless the contract was only for one year, IPL 2010, third season. Next year, contracts for all the players would end and a fresh bidding process would start for all the teams.

At the moment, some of the Pakistani cricketers are saying they are humiliated by being invited for the bidding process and then not being bid by any one. But it should be considered as a purely commercial decision by the teams rather than a policy to discriminate them. There were another 44 players (other than 11 from Pakistan) who had to go without any contract. At present, when India-Pakistan's political, I stress the word - political, relationship are not good (personally I cannot understand, why? Why can the leaders of these two countries talk regularly? but it is out of the scope of this piece) and the players have to get visa clearance from the external ministry of the Pakistan then it is advisable to avoid those players, even if they are good, who cannot come and participate in training and games. This happened last year, external ministry of Pakistan advise players not to visit India. No team, they are commercial entities, wants to lose money on absent players.

It should be noticed that there are some players from Pakistan (Sohail Tanveer, Kamran Akmal etc.) who are regularly playing for some IPL teams. So they are there and performing.

Government of India's role can not be denied but not as a dictate not to take any player from Pakistan, rather as a body who denied responsibility and accountability for the security of the Pakistan's players in India. What happened on Sri Lankan players in Pakistan if something, or even milder, happens to Pakistan players in India then the two countries would start war. In any case it is a private game why should government bother for Shahrukh Khan and Shipa Shetty or Priety Zinta? These are the people who benefit in terms of money and fame and media coverage for the event. Government should not risk its reputation with its neighboring country for these private enterprises.

Of course if none of the player is bid at the next years IPL bidding when the new teams would be constructed then that would be a matter of concern. That would be indicate that they are being discriminated as a policy rather than commercial interest of the team owners till then we can wait for the IPL 2010 to start and we can enjoy the cricket.