Pakistan cricket to benefit from players’ exclusion from IPL: Waqar Younis
By ANIMonday, January 17, 2011
WELLINGTON - Pakistan cricket coach Waqar Younis feels the fact that his players will be missing from the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) Twenty20 tournament is good for Pakistan cricket.
“It’s not good for cricketers, I guess, because they are losing out on the financial side, but I always think that, in a way, it helps Pakistan cricket because we can concentrate more on international cricket,” the Dawn quoted Waqar, as saying.
He, however, acknowledged that the “money side of (IPL) is huge,” and added: “As long as players are keen and they want to do well and respect the fact that they are playing for their country, it’s fine with me.”
It is noteworthy that no Pakistani player was included in the last edition of IPL as well. Pakistani cricketers had taken part in the inaugural IPL in 2008, but were forced out of the 2009 edition due to security concerns in the wake of the Mumbai terror attacks, and were then ignored for the 2010 tournament.
“It’s affecting some (countries) and it doesn’t seem to be affecting others … but I’m happy with way things are because our boys are a lot fresher and they really want to do well for Pakistan,” Waqar said. (ANI)
