Lahore: Upset over the 'boycott' of Pakistani cricketers by the franchises during the Indian Premier Legue's (IPL) auction on Tuesday, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ijaz Butt has lambasted IPL commissioner Lalit Modi, saying he failed to respond to his calls.
Butt said he has asked the sports ministry to raise the issue with the Indian government.
"I am unhappy that none of the Pakistani players were auctioned in the IPL's third edition.I have also asked federal minister for sports to take up this issue with his Indian counterpart," The News quoted Butt, as saying.
No player from Pakistan was picked up during the IPL 3 auction. Flambouyant all-rounder Shahid Afridi and left-arm pacer Sohail Tanvir came under the hammer but had no takers.
The list of players that was put up for auction included 11 each from Pakistan, Australia and South Africa, nine from Sri Lanka, eight each from England and West Indies, four from New Zealand and one each from Bangladesh, Canada, Zimbabwe and Holland.
Meanwhile, Afridi's Manager Umran Khan has also blasted Modi.
"I'd heard prior to the auction that franchises were being advised not to bid for Pakistani players, as the players from Pakistan would not be issued with visas by the Indian government, and that is precisely what has happened".
"The Indian Premier League have been using Afridi's name and pictures to publicise the tournament and to build up the hype and he was expected to be one of the most popular players amongst the franchises," he added.
ANI
First Published: Wednesday, January 20, 2010, 15:59