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Oh Lalit!
By Tabrez Janjua for Stani Army in General Cricket, Pakistan Cricket
41 ViewsAs Pakistan clinched the Twenty20 World Cup, Lalit Modi’s business brain must have went into over drive about how he could use the Champions to make more money. Well Lalit, you and your honchos at the ICC should have been more fair on the Pakistanis shouldn’t you? First of all, let’s make it clear that the argument that it was the Pakistan government that prevented it’s cricketers from playing in the IPL, doesn’t hide the fact that they would have been banned by the IPL and/or the Indian government anyway. Anyone who thinks this would not have happened is just fooling themselves. In fact, the Pakistan government did the IPL a favour and Lalit must have breathed a sigh of relief.
The above view is strengthened by the fact that the IPL did nothing to try and reinstate the Pakistani players with their respective franchises when the tournament was moved to South Africa. Yes, it would have been difficult as the franchises had spent on other players and there was not much time. Yet no attempt to include them or even a suggestion was made. As for the time excuse, Modi was commended for organising a tournament in such a small space of time so that doesn’t hold much water.
Another reason to support the point is the exclusion of Pakistan’s domestic Twenty20 Champions from the Champions League. Pakistan’s players were prevented from playing in the IPL by their government but before even asking them about the Champions League, or even talking to them about it, Modi came out and announced that the Pakistani team would not be participating. How he must regret that now. To not have the World Champions represented in the Champions League? Big mistake Lalit….big business mistake!
Pakistan becoming World Champions was great for Pakistan cricket, it was also a proverbial two fingers to the ICC, IPL and Lalit Modi. Shame on them.
In time, Lalit Modi will only be remembered as the businessman who was allowed to steal cricket’s chastity.
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June 22nd, 2009 at 6:02 pm
You know, now it looks like a blessing that the Pak players contracts were cancelled this year by the IPL. After this World T20 win, the Pakistanis will get even more highly valued contracts for the next IPL… !
June 22nd, 2009 at 6:25 pm
True, that’s a good point Q. But how about the PCB make the most of this success and launch our own tournament in UAE? Not that astute are they?
June 22nd, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Yeah not that astute. Another thing is, when would the tournament be held? We won’t have a window for it.. 2nd, who will turn up to play? I mean which int’l cricketers?
June 22nd, 2009 at 9:19 pm
I think everybody is laughing at Modi. It was unfair. The IPL teams picked some internationally unknown players like Morne van Wyk & Dillon du Preez instead of better known record breaking talents. If they had the time to pick them, then I am pretty sure the Pakastanis could have joined in. The fact is that Modi is a moron. The Pakastanis would have made a huge difference and made the IPL far more interesting.
TJ, I like your idea, but its all about the money these days. If cash is available then the players will follow.
June 22nd, 2009 at 11:52 pm
Q,
The ECB are launching one too. Modi first came out with the IPL and the ICC accommodated it and now the Champions league as well. We need to do these things quick to get them in. I’m sure the ICC can find a gap.
There was some big names still left over after the IPL auctions. I reckon players will go to UAE. If it was between India or the UAE, where would you rather stay?
Bon,
Those are some wonderful names! People will obviously say I’m biased but it’s exciting watching Pakistanis play cricket. Look at what Tanvir did in IPL1….and STD Shoaib for the Knight Riders. People were loving it.
As for the money, it just needs a good business plan that will allow tv income to go into allowing competitive contracts to be paid to players in order to attract them. The PCB will have to stop themselves from filing their own pockets so much and pay the stars well. I reckon it could work.
June 23rd, 2009 at 12:56 am
UAE definitely Stani.. Dubai provides quite amazing facilities.. unmatched for sure..
Ur right abt PCB getting on the bandwagon early.. they need to initiate something and wat better time to do it when ur T20 champions.. India banked on the same thing.. time we put our brains to work.
June 23rd, 2009 at 6:16 am
Modi’s reasons for leaving the Pakastanis out were flawed. The UAE sounds great, but they should move it around each year. The IPL in SA was a huge success. People really enjoyed it and got the chance to identify with a team. The 2008 IPL most Saffers went with Mumbai just because Shaun Pollock was in the team. To be honest I think the political reasons Modi had for moving it was a profit scheme. He wanted to get a wider audience. Seeing that there will be international players in the league, it would be wise not to keep it in one place each year. Bring it to the people.
June 23rd, 2009 at 2:35 pm
Firstly, it is naive of you to believe that Lalit is out to cook the Pakis. I say this as a supporter of pakistani cricket, which Q can affirm. I supported them even when you were deriding them.
Lalit is a shrewd biz man and he wont let ‘misguided’ notions of his commitment to the country of his birth to run his business decisions. I think he had no choice but to go with the Indian government and the popular sentiment. For a man who goes to any extent to make his tournament a success, and even questions the Indian election to accomodate his tournament, I dont think he’ll willingly antagonise Pak cricket.
June 23rd, 2009 at 4:30 pm
Q,
Definitely. These tournaments only last a few weeks so it’s feasible. We could even shorten it with less teams who play each other more or something.
Bon,
I agree with you about Modi’s reasons for the move. As Modi begins to want to move the IPL around more, I think host nations will want a bigger slice of the pie.
Raj,
I wasn’t deriding Pakistan cricket. I am a Pakistan cricket fan, it is my right to be critical of MY team. Unfortunately, no one can take this right away from me but lets move on because I’m not certain this had anything to do with my original points.
If Modi did not let misguided notions get in the way of his business, then the World Champions would be represented at the Champions League – simple. We are not there because he did not want us there. If he did want us, he or his bosses, would have gone to either the PCB or the Pakistani government and asked if the IPL ban applied to the Champions League. But he didn’t ask, he just came out and announced that the Pakistan team was not coming. Like you said, this is a man that can go to “any extent to make his tournament a success”, but he didn’t go to any extent to accommodate Pakistan.
I have nothing against the IPL; it is a wonderful idea in it’s purist sense. Unfortunately, it has the wrong man at the helm.
“Naive”, to quote you, are the people who think Lalit Modi has the best interests of cricket at heart. Excuse me while I go take a seven and a half minute “tactical” time out.
June 24th, 2009 at 8:30 am
hello, who said I supported the IPL? I am merely saying Lalit is not dumb enough to antagonise a market like Pakistan if he can help it. There are wheels, and sharad pawars with PM ambitions, within wheels. Lalit lost his association elections – its Pawar/Bindra who gives him power, and if Pawar wanted to please the congress and ban Paki cricketers from IPL, he has no choice but to obey.
These are things you cannot understand from outside. I wouldnt blame Lalit for Pakis not being part of IPL. Also, you must remember that the Nov 26 attacks happened in Pawar domain(Mumbai) with elections approaching. It doesnt take much to realise who would want to score election points there.
June 24th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Did you watch the IPL Raj? This is support right?
He’s being forced to do it? Come on?! You called me naive? It was you who said that this man would go to any extent to make his tournament a success…or is that extent limited by what Pawar/Bhindra say?
And you keep talking about the IPL; what about the Champions League?
You said that these things, one cannot understand from the outside, but the fact you’re on the “inside”, makes it difficult for you to see the whole, true picture.
June 24th, 2009 at 12:31 pm
There is a new thread on MAZA786. ps contribute with your expertise.
June 24th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
TJ
I don’t want Pakistan’s players to play in IPL period.
They should only be allowed to play against India or in any Indian sponsored tournament unless and until they assure us that sports and politics will be kept separate. I understand most Pakistani fans want their cricketers to play in IPL and compete against the best in the world, but nothing is more importatnt than national pride,our government tried to send a message across and we should support that decision.
PCB should work on organizing a T20 tournament of it’s own in Dubai.
June 24th, 2009 at 7:09 pm
I’ve replied…………
June 24th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Wasim,
I think the ICC may have to start doing something about domestic t20s as the more that come out, the more windows the ICC will have to find to accomodate them. I have no problem with them keeping one (even a renamed IPL), but they will have to include youngsters in there from all countries and not just one.
Or if each country wants thier own, ICC should give each nation a certain year to hold thiers and everyone can then take turns….even two countries a year. We should definitely go for Dubai.
As for the Pakistan government, they jumped before they were pushed. And now everyones using the Pak governments ban to say “it’s your government that banned your players”.
Cricket and politics should also be separate.
Maz,
I don’t believe you ;o)