Shahid Afridi condemns BCCI policy of leaving Pakistani players out of IPL

Pakistan’s skipper, Shahid Afridi, has condemned the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) policy of leaving Pakistani players out of Indian Premier League (IPL) saying that they should not be treated as “untouchable”.
"It is high time that Pakistani cricketers should also get a place in IPL. For three seasons including the current one, we haven't been a part of the IPL”, said Afridi.
Afridi said that Pakistani players have no issues while playing in India as they have just played a World Cup semi-final there. He added that this behaviour from the Indian side has really disappointed Pakistani cricketers as well as public.
"I am not saying that I want to play IPL but it could be a great platform for youngsters. They could make a mark for themselves".
In the opening edition of the IPL in 2008, 11 of the Pakistani players were given an opportunity and Afridi was the costliest player, who was bought for $675,000 by the Hyderabad team.
Pakistani players were totally ignored for the 2009 and 2010 editions because India showed some security concerns after Mumbai attacks. But it was expected that the semi-final match between the two countries at Mohali will be helpful for building good relations and would pave the way for Pakistani players in the IPL.
The skipper said that Pakistani Prime Minister, Yousaf Raza Gillani, accepted the invitation of his counterpart, Manmohan Singh, as a positive step to ease tensions between the neighbours and now IPL could be used as another platform to improve relations.
Boom Boom Afridi asserted that playing more and more matches against each other would be helpful in releasing pressure and it will also bring down the propaganda created by media on India-Pakistan relations.
Afridi’s comments about the Indian team two days after the ICC World Cup 2011 final, created tensions across the Subcontinent.
However, the player later said that media has taken his comments out of the context.
The 31 year-old said that on-field there was pressure and tensions among players at certain occasions but off the field all are friends. The captain also added that he has friendly relations with Gautam Gambhir and respects their batting icon, Sachin Tendulkar.
IPL’s fourth edition will start with the competition between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Gambhir respectively.