An Honourable Exception

I use the term with my tongue firmly ensconsced in my cheek and my teeth providing a vice-like grip to ensure against its swift escape. In the wake of every coincidence / conspiracy we have been treated to by Pakistani cricket over the previous two years, I hold nothing but outright contempt, venom and pity for the Pakistan Cricket Board. It is in this mood I read that the PCB has barred its players from playing in the IPL. Excuse me?

After using the pretext of a shamelessly coerced court case to escape the clutches of the BCCI, with what spectre of dignity, self-respect and / or authority does the PCB (again hiding behind another body, this time the sports ministry) see fit to ban Pakistani players from the IPL?

Make up all the excuses you will. Throw in copious amounts of 'benefit of the doubt'. The fact remains that this is an open-and-shut case of the PCB jumping before being pushed. for it was as good as done that

Even given his greed, impetuosity and lack of forethought, Lalit Modi is not stupid and could see the tides of public opinion working against the IPL if Pakistani players were allowed to participate. In fact I would go as far as to say that he was probably in the throes of drafting a letter advising the PCB to keep their stock at home.

The question remains, what face is the PCB trying to save with this latest move? Surely they have more pressing concerns to address (eg. the shonky means through which to ensure that Mohammad Asif escapes his latest doping ban)?

Just as an aside, thank God for these ever-so-precious moments of common sense.

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