Pakistan not consulted over Champions League exclusion

[Sachinism]

Pakistan's cricket authorities have said they weren't contacted at all with regard to their ouster from the pool of teams that form the lucrative Champions League, a further worrying indicator of their increasing isolation in world cricket. The tournament - with $6 million in prize money - is scheduled to be held in India this October and though the number of teams participating has increased from eight to 12, Lalit Modi, the tournament's chairman, said no team from Pakistan would be among them. "Unfortunately, the Pakistan government won't give them [the players] clearance to come to India, and since Saturday was our cut-off date, it's not possible to have a team from Pakistan this year," Modi was quoted by AFP as saying on Sunday. But a senior PCB official, reacting to Modi's comments, told Cricinfo the board had not been contacted at all by anyone regarding the tournament. "Sialkot had been invited for the first tournament but since that was postponed, we have heard nothing from them at all. We weren't told about any cut-off dates or deadlines. I am surprised Mr Modi is second-guessing what the Pakistan government is likely to be thinking in October," the official said. Incidentally, the PCB's domestic Twenty20 tournament is currently underway with a winner due to emerge on May 29. Pakistan had a representative - Sialkot Stallions - for last year's tournament that was postponed following the Mumbai attacks. Relations between India and Pakistan then deteriorated; India refused to tour in January and Pakistan's government stopped their players from travelling to India to take part in the IPL - the basis of the decision - though that situation is open to review and, possibly, to change given how quickly relations between the two countries fluctuate. A BCCI official said the decision was a "precautionary" one. "We don't want a problem in the last minute... with so much money at stake, we don't want to take the risk of inviting a team when - as of now - it is clear that there will be political problems with visas, clearance," he said. As well as the financial fallout - both team and home board are guaranteed a considerable sum - the move pushes Pakistan further to the margins of world cricket, given that domestic teams from all members (apart from Bangladesh and Zimbabwe) have also been invited to the tournament. It is another sign possibly of how relations between the PCB and BCCI have cooled off considerably under the present Pakistan administration; though India's refusal to tour in January this year was a state-level decision, tensions have risen between the neighbours over the 2011 World Cup, with the BCCI believing the PCB was misguided in picking a legal fight with the ICC and the PCB believing India manipulated them out of hosting World Cup matches in Pakistan. In contrast, the previous PCB administration under Nasim Ashraf, had been accused, rather like Tony Blair to George Bush, of being India's puppet. The PCB's own inaction has done nothing to ease the situation. The day after the decision was announced, a number of senior officials were contacted, none of whom had any coherent reply to the situation. One senior official didn't know what the Champions League was, while others referred the matter to the chairman, who simply referred it back. A *****ly relationship with the ICC will not help: the world's governing body isn't a stakeholder in the Champions League, but has sanctioned it and, according to Modi, set a window aside for it in the FTP. ICC members CA and CSA are founding members of the tournament and though they are among those who reiterate that they want to ensure Pakistan does not get isolated, this latest blow, in fact, achieves precisely the opposite. ---- Smart move by Modi, inviting Pakistan will only cause problems

[vvvslaxman]

So the begging continues....

[EnterTheVoid]

Ah, Just in the nick of time. I was wondering why they stopped sooking all of a sudden

a further worrying indicator of their increasing isolation in world cricket.

Thanks for the good news. Need a catalyst to speed up the process. I am not sorry for any offense caused

[gult]

To be frank, Pakistan should be involved as it's better than WI, NZ etc teams. Isolation of Pakistan doesn't help anybody except the greedy fellows like Modi

[Sachinism]

To be frank' date=' Pakistan should be involved as it's better than WI, NZ etc teams. Isolation of Pakistan doesn't help anybody except the greedy fellows like Modi[/quote'] How does isolating Pakistan help Modi, if the Pakistani team was involved it would mean more viewers. But inviting Pakistan will just cause problems, the government won't allow them to tour India, so just leave them out and save yourself the hassle

[gult]

How does isolating Pakistan help Modi' date=' if the Pakistani team was involved it would mean more viewers. But inviting Pakistan will just cause problems, the government won't allow them to tour India, so just leave them out and save yourself the hassle[/quote'] Although your point makes sense, it's not fair on Modi's part to not consult the PCB before making such an important decision. Modi may need to understand that he doesn't own ICC.

[Dark Warrior]

Although your point makes sense' date=' it's not fair on Modi's part to not consult the PCB before making such an important decision. Modi may need to understand that [b']he doesn't own ICC.

Yes, He does!!

[ViruRulez]

Although your point makes sense' date=' it's not fair on Modi's part to not consult the PCB before making such an important decision. Modi may need to understand that he doesn't own ICC.[/quote'] But it was PCB which tried to show off by not allowing the Pakistani team to participate in IPL and they have been begging since then. So, Modi is right in not inviting them as the PCB and their govt. will only make BS hassles in smooth running of Champions League.

[Sachinism]

Although your point makes sense' date=' it's not fair on Modi's part to not consult the PCB before making such an important decision. Modi may need to understand that he doesn't own ICC.[/quote'] At the end of the day, it is his tournament, he can pick and choose who he wants to invite

[vvvslaxman]

I think they deserve unfair treatment after how they treated the victims in the press post Lahor incident

[cowboysfan]

who else is afraid for this tournament now that the pakis have been excluded?.this tournament has been plagued by postponements and was cancelled last year because of the mumbai blasts.there needs to be extra security and the teams should not be staying in 5 star hotels.this will be a good trial run on some new security measures for international teams just before IPL3 and even the world cup.

[vvvslaxman]

They should be able to manage that i think. "Cricket can go on without Pakistan" that message should be loud and clear. This move is going to isolate Pakistan further? Power to them.

[someone]

But it was PCB which tried to show off by not allowing the Pakistani team to participate in IPL and they have been begging since then. So' date=' Modi is right in not inviting them as the PCB and their govt. will only make BS hassles in smooth running of Champions League.[/quote'] exactly

[Mamu]

Why cant these fuq heads get off of India's back and live their own sorry ***** life? Why does eevrything in Paki-Land has be India centric. When will they realize -- India has moved on well and beyond the shyt hole and is living its own life. Start your own fing league and invite everybody to play there.! You jack *****e$

[vvvslaxman]

Did you guys read the replies in cricinfo for this article? They are living in fantasy land where world cricket will crumble without Pakistan players.

[veer]

And I wasnt consulted for the whole IPL ..

[Macj]

The PCB's own inaction has done nothing to ease the situation. The day after the decision was announced, a number of senior officials were contacted, none of whom had any coherent reply to the situation. One senior official didn't know what the Champions League was, while others referred the matter to the chairman, who simply referred it back.

:haha: That is Pakistan the country for you.

[vvvslaxman]

:haha: That is Pakistan the country for you.

Epitome of ignorance. They don't even realize they are being taken over :winky: How are they going to know complicated things like CL.

[EnterTheVoid]

........... Pakistan not consulted over Champions League exclusion ....... yeah, so ? The CL, just like IPL 2009 will flop because the life of the party are not there ? cuckoo - cuckoo :bird: BCCI = Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan by India Isolate them, exclude them, whatever

[graphic23]

Lalit Modi, for all the **** he's done, is amazing. :--D