Pak players to feature in IPL-3: Jillani

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Karachi: Pakistan minister for sports, Pir Aftab Shah Jillani is confident that the national cricketers will not miss out on playing in the lucrative Indian Premier League next year in India.

Responding to the December 8 deadline set by the IPL for Pakistani players to submit their NOCs from the cricket Board here and government to play in the league, Jillani said he was confident the players will play in the twenty20 tournament.

"The PCB has to write to us seeking our advice and clearance on allowing players to play in India. Once they send it I don't see any problems in our players being allowed to go to India for the IPL," Jillani said.

Pakistan cricketers had missed out of the IPL this year, which was originally scheduled to be held in India, after the Indian government advised the PCB not to send players to India due to the escalating tension between the two countries.

The IPL was later shifted to South Africa because of elections in India but by that time the IPL franchises had already either suspended or cancelled contracts of Pakistani players.

Jillani pointed out that the government has recently allowed teams in snooker, squash, table tennis and even a special cricket team from Pakistan to go to India for international events.

"The Indian high commission has been issuing visas to our sportsmen. So I am pretty confident the environment is feasible to see our players in the IPL next year," he added.

Jillani said the last time the IPL was held relations with India were very tense and there were security issues after the Mumbai terror attacks.

"But the situation is a bit different now and when the PCB writes to us I will talk to the relevant government departments and I don't see any problems in our players being allowed to play in the IPL this time," Jillani said.

The Pakistani minister said he had always believed that sports and politics should not be mixed and the government also supported this viewpoint.

The IPL organisers have kept the December 8 deadline as they want to be certain before the players auction is held which Pakistani players are available for grabs.

Many Pakistani players after their World Cup winning performance are expected to feature in the high stakes category when the IPL players auction is held.

Pakistan team is also without any international commitments during the period the IPL is scheduled in India in March-April, 2010.