BCCI pleads Sena to let Aussies play, Sena to declare stand in a few days

By Rahul Bajaj
for Cricketain.com

Published: February 8, 2010

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BCCI pleads Sena to let Aussies play, Sena to declare stand in a few days thumbnail

Mumbai: After threats by the Shiv Sena of not letting the Australian players participate in the Indian Premier League in wake of the attacks on the Indians in Australia, ICC Vice-President and Union Minister Sharad Pawar met Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray and pleaded for a peaceful IPL.

The IPL will also make a presentation on the issue before Thackeray, after which he would clarify whether the Sena would permit the Australians to take part. Pawar, along with BCCI President Shashank Manohar went to Thackeray’s residence Matoshri, where the two were in a discussion with the Sena chief for nearly two hours.

“We presented our viewpoint before Thackeray on this critical issue,” Manohar said. “We tried to convince him that only one or two Australian players will participate in the IPL matches and by not allowing all IPL matches it’s the state players (Marathi players) who will lose ultimately.”

“We also explained the format of the IPL teams and matches and how there were one or two Australian players in each team. He agreed to consider the issue in a couple of days,” said Manohar.

After the meeting, Shiv Sena said that it would take a final call on the issue in two-three days. “Thackeray would take a final call on the issue of Australian players in two-three days,” Sena mouthpiece Saamana said on Monday.

“For me, the country is more important than the game,” Saamana quoted Thackeray as telling Pawar. “I will never tolerate India’s insult.”

More than 20 Australians are playing in season three of the IPL, including Matthew Hayden, Shane Warne and Mike Hussey.  Earlier, the Australian Cricketers Association had expressed reservations about the players’ security in Mumbai in light of the Sena’s threats.

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