The Pakistan government banned its players from participating in the IPL after political relations with India deteriorated in the wake of November's terror attacks in Mumbai, which New Delhi blamed on militants based across the border.
By the time the IPL was relocated to South Africa, following the Indian government's refusal to provide adequate security, as the event overlapped with parliamentary elections, Pakistani players' contracts had already been either terminated or suspended.
The IPL refused to include Pakistan players even after the relocation, claiming new stars had been bought by franchises as replacements.
Pakistani players were outraged and claimed the IPL had not bothered to inform them about the contract cancellations. They even staged a protest under the banner 'Include us or pay us' in Lahore last week.
They have also threatened legal action.
Former international captain Ramiz Raja believes a consequence will be plummeting interest in the IPL in Pakistan.
"The event's moved out of India, there are no Pakistani players playing, so interest in our country has definitely gone down," said Raja, who as a television commentator, will be the only Pakistani involved in this year's IPL.
Even Pakistan?s two world class umpires, Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf, were left out in the cold.
Pakistan?s limited overs series against Australia from April 22-May 7 in the United Arab Emirates, which clashes with the first half of the IPL, will also divert the attention of television viewers away from events in South Africa.
source : http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gs5ropwWBVhl5OrOX8kwQhJisTwA
