Mumbai/ New Delhi: Indian Premier League (IPL) commissioner Lalit Modi has rejected any “conspiracy” in Pakistani players not being picked up for the world’s richest cricket tournament.
“There is no conspiracy theory that is going on-- as is being reported in media. The media is biased at times,” he said at a press conference in Mumbai.
Pakistan has reacted with outrage after none of its 11 cricketers put up for auction for IPL’s season three were picked up by franchisees.
But actress Shilpa Shetty, who owns the Rajasthan Royals IPL team, said franchisees do not have to explain why they didn’t pick up Pakistani cricketers.
“We don't owe an explanation on our decision on Pakistani players. The reasons for dropping are understandable in the current scenario,” she said.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik has reportedly said that India could expect similar behaviour from his country for snubbing his country’s cricketers.
“I want to make it clear that whether it is India or any other country in the world, their citizens would have to face (the) same behaviour as meted out to our people,” Malik was quoted by Pakistan's state-run APP news agency as saying on Wednesday.
India has dismissed Pakistan's concerns, saying visas had been issued to 17 Pakistani players.
"Pakistan should introspect on the reasons which have put a strain on relations between India and Pakistan, and have adversely impacted on peace, stability and prosperity in the region," said an External Affairs Ministry on Thursday.
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