A decision on the Pakistani cricketers' participation in the next Indian Premier League would be taken at the event's Governing Council meeting on October 14, says IPL Chairman Rajiv Shukla.
Pakistani cricketers have not participated in the IPL since the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks but Shukla said it does not mean that players from across the border won't be allowed at all.
"This decision has to be taken by the Governing Council and Governing Council will have to take a view on it. It is not that Pakistan as a country has been banned in IPL," Shukla told PTI in an interview.
"Their (Pakistani) referees' services have been utilised. Some franchises have taken Pakistani former players as coaches also and supporting staff as well. So it is not that Pakistan as a whole has been banned or something. There is no question of banning anyone," he asserted
Speaking to PTI on board the Air India One special aircraft while coming back after accompanying President Pratibha Patil on a state visit to Switzerland and Austria, Shukla said in the final analysis, however, it is for the IPL franchises to take a decision on Pakistani players.
"About Pakistani players, it is purely upto the franchises to decide whether they want to take Pakistani players or not. And we have to keep certain considerations in mind before deciding about it," he said.
Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan met in Mohali during the two sides' World Cup semifinal and advocated resumption of bilateral cricket ties and Shukla said the BCCI shares the sentiment.
"Definitely in Mohali, both Prime Ministers wanted cricket ties to be resumed and so did the Foreign Minister of Pakistan when she visited. She spoke to me about it," he said.
