Was the non-picking of Pakistani Cricketers justified?

Chidambaram slams IPL for not picking Pak players
PTI, 25 January 2010, 07:00pm IST

NEW DELHI: Terming non-inclusion of Pakistani players in IPL as a "disservice to cricket", home minister P Chidambaram on Monday said there was no "hint or nudge" from the government to do so.

Describing some of them as "among the best Twenty20" cricket players, he said "these players were coming as individuals, it was not a Pakistan team."

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"...I think it is disservice to cricket that some of these players were not picked. I don't know why the IPL teams acted in the manner they acted. But certainly to suggest that there was a hint or nudge from the government is completely untrue," the minister told Times Now.

No Pakistani player was bought by the eight IPL teams during an auction last week for the third edition of the competition despite Pakistan being the reigning world champions in the Twenty20 format of cricket, triggering a strong reaction from Pakistan government which saw it as snub and called-off official visits to India.

Asked whether he thought that Pakistan was over-reacting on the issue, Chidambaram said "well, you see, if no player from a country is picked, obviously the country does feel insulted. But whether the reaction is proportionate or not it is not for me to comment.

"But as I said, cricket lovers are disappointed that no player from Pakistan was picked. I think that could have been avoided."

Chidambaram also said personally, as a cricket lover, he was disappointed over non-inclusion of Pakistani players.

Noting that the government had issued 17 visas to these players, he said "in fact, I am disappointed that the IPL teams, IPL organisers did not pick any Pakistani player."

"...We gave the visas and we have nothing to do with this," he said.

Chidambaram should be the last person to remark on the above.
The writ of the Central Government does not run in Maharashtra.
For that matter, does it run anywhere?
About 40% of the area in our country is under the Maoists.
What is to prevent the two imbeciles, Bal and Raj, (Chacha - Bhatija) duo from announcing that they will not allow any Pakistani cricketers to play in Maharashtra.
This duo can announce anything and the congress will go along for it does not want to disturb the balance of power.
Nothing is done for the good of the country.
Everything is done with an to the polls.
I am not surprised that the team owners did not bid for the Pakistani cricketers.
They would probably have been banned from entering Mumbai by the Chacha-Bhatija duo, besides making dead investments for the players would not be allowed to play.