Pakistan cricketers get security clearance for IPL

KARACHI: Several of Pakistan’s leading cricketers now seem set to make their Indian Premier League (IPL) comeback after the Interior Ministry issued them a clearance to feature in the cash-rich Twenty20 league.Nadeem Sarwar, Pakistan Cricket Board’s media chief, told ‘The News’ that the PCB has received the ministry’s security clearance and is now in a position to issue no-objection certificates (NOCs) to any cricketer who wants to feature in the third edition of IPL next year.“We have been told by the Interior Ministry that it will not object to the participation of Pakistani cricketers in the IPL,” said Sarwar. “This means that we can now start issuing formal NOCs to any Pakistani player wishing to play in the IPL,” he said.The latest development came a day after the PCB was given a ‘political’ clearance by the Foreign Ministry for the IPL.It means that Pakistani cricketer can now start applying for Indian visas. Till now, there are four Pakistani cricketers who have applied for NOCs to feature in the next IPL edition. They include Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul, Abdul Razzaq and Kamran Akmal.According to Sarwar, only Sohail Tanvir, who starred in Rajasthan Royals’ title-winning triumph in the inaugural IPL last year, will be applying for a visa from Pakistan. Razzaq, who is currently playing league cricket in Bangladesh, will lodge his application in Dhaka while Umar Gul and Kamran Akmal will apply for the Indian visa in New Zealand where they are currently playing in a Test series.Pakistan’s cricketers missed the second edition of IPL held in South Africa earlier this year after the authorities decided against clearing their visit to India which was originally supposed to host the league. However, the event was moved to South Africa because of security apprehensions.It is expected that more Pakistani cricketers will now start applying for NOCs following the government’s decision to clear their Indian visit.Last month, the IPL extended the deadline for Pakistan’s players to submit the relevant documents needed to ensure their participation in the league’s next season.The deadline for the PCB to submit the NOCs and other documents to enable the Pakistan players to take part in the 2010 tournament was extended to December 7.

Source:thenews.jang.com.pk