Modi agrees with Chidambaram: No nudge from government on IPL selection

Mumbai. Jan 26 (ANI): Indian Premier League (IPL) Commissioner Lalit Modi on Tuesday agreed with Union Home Minister P. hidambaram that there was no nudge form the Central Government ith the regard to the selection or non-selection of Pakistani layers

Responding to remarks made by Chidambaram that the IPL had done a disservice to cricket in not selecting Pakistani players, Modi said there was no instruction from the Central Government to overlook the auction of these players for the third edition of the tournament.

"We have never said that the government has given us any nudge. It was a decision taken by the franchise on their own. I am clear about the fact that we have never informed anyone that the government has given us any nudge," Modi said.

He stressed that it was the sole decision of the franchisees not to select the Pakistani players.

Chidambaram had said on Monday said that the decision of the franchisees not to select any of the 17 Pakistani cricketers, who had been given Indian visas for participation in the third edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) was a disservice to the game of cricket.

The IPL had earlier denied government interference and stated that T 20 league officials had never said that the Indian Government did not grant permission to the Pakistani players. leven Pakistani players, including cream of the Shahid Afridi-led reigning Twenty20 World Cup squad, were in IPL auction 3 fray, but none of the eight IPL franchisees took interest in them, fearing the chill in Indo-Pak relation might worsen, resulting in non-participation of these players.

The uncertainty over their availability cost Pakistani players lucrative IPL contracts. (ANI)