Javed Miandad questions the omission of Pakistan cricketers from IPL

Tags: Pakistan, IPL, Javed Miandad, BCCI, Karachi, Mohammed Azharuddin, Mohammad Asif, Atif Aslam, Veena Malik, spot fixing,

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Javed Miandad questions the omission of Pakistan cricketers from IPL

Pakistan batting legend Javed Miandad feels India should stop playing blame games © Getty Images

By CricketCountry Staff

Mumbai: Feb 10, 2012

Former Pakistan skipper and coach, Javed Miandad expressed his disgust at the so called double standards that do not allow Pakistani cricketers to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Miandad stressed on the fact that if Pakistani artists like Atif Aslam, Veena Malik, etc. are allowed to stay in India for professional reasons, he fails to understand why cricketers are discriminated. "It is unfortunate that Pakistanis are treated like untouchables as far as IPL is concerned. My question is who is to be blamed? Is it the BCCI or the Indian government? One should come clear on whose decision is this, otherwise the blame game would continue and Pakistani cricketers will be deprived time and again," Miandad spoke to MID DAY.

The fact that only cricketers are deprived from exhibiting their skills annoys Miandad even more. "Besides stars like Atif and Veena, I know many Pakistanis who visit India often and vice-versa, so why is there no transparency about participation in the IPL? We don't beg to play in the IPL, but at the same time, there shouldn't be such discrimination against a nation," Miandad lashed out from Karachi.

However, when he was reminded about Mohammad Asif’s dope test in the inaugural IPL in 2008 and the spot-fixing that followed, Miandad defended saying that individual actions should not affect the whole nation.

"Mohammed Azharuddin was also banned for life. He isn't a Pakistani. India or BCCI cannot be held responsible for the controversy he got into. There are individuals who tarnish the image of the sport and I feel they should be brought to book as individuals," the legendary batsman said.

To prove that his countrymen could display sportsmanship, Miandad turned back the clock to 2004 when India defeated Pakistan 2-1 in the Test series. "India played better and they beat us in our country. We all appreciated their performance and that's how it should be," he signed off.