Published: Sep 06, 2014, 03:03 AM (IST)
Edited: Sep 06, 2014, 03:04 AM (IST)
Sep 6, 2014
The participation of Lahore Lions,the domestic T20 champion of Pakistan,in the Champions League Twenty20 (CLT20) is under serious doubts and there are more chances that the team will not get the required permission from the government of India to participate in the tournament. Just about a week left for the start of the event and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has not got the clearance from central government to invite Mohammad Hafee’s team from Lahore for the qualifying round of CLT20, because the bilateral relations between India and Pakistan have only worsened with increased tension at the border.
According to a report published in the Mirror, The board officials contend that they cannot be insensitive to the happenings along the Line Of Control (LOC) and tension between the countries. “We know what is happening. The scheduled talks were called off and the situation is tense at the border. In such a charged-up atmosphere, how can we go to the government again,” said a top board official.
No replacement team
The BCCI has decided not to pursue the matter any more even if it were to mean that the schedule of the tournament will go for a toss. The Lahore team was slotted to play qualifiers with three other teams – Mumbai Indians, Northern Knights (New Zealand) and Southern Express (Sri Lanka) – in Raipur from September 13.
With not much time left, the CL organisers say they will not call for a replacement team if the Pakistan side were to be denied permission to travel to India. The qualifiers then will be reduced to a three-team affair with two sides qualifying for the tournament proper. The BCCI is prepared to tweak the dates, if required.
The Lahore Lions were scheduled to play Mumbai Indians on September 13, Northern Knights on September 14 and Southern Express on September 16 – all in Raipur – in the qualifiers.
