| Younis Khan seeks better IPL deals for Pakistan players |
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| Sunday, 28 June 2009 17:54 |
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Pakistan captain Younis Khan has asked his team-mates to push for better IPL contracts following their success in the World Twenty20. "These players are now world champions and highly marketable. There is a higher value to their performances," Younis said. While many in the team turned out for their respective franchises in the inaugural season of the IPL in 2008, political tensions between India and Pakistan prevented them from playing in the second season. Younis, who played for Rajasthan Royals, noted, however, that top players like Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul and Misbah-ul-Haq were now worth more than the $100,000 contracts they had signed last year. "Now the scenario is different. These players should talk to their agents in India and ask them to go for a hike in price from the IPL franchises. I am happy if any of our players can be better packages in the IPL for next season," Younis said. IPL commissioner Lalit Modi had said that after Pakistan's World Cup win he perceived no problems in the players returning to play in the IPL next year, provided both national governments were okay with it. Eleven Pakistani players, including Shahid Afridi and Gul, the stars of Pakistan's World Twenty20 campaign, were recruited by the Kolkata, Rajasthan, Delhi, Hyderabad and Bangalore franchises before the inaugural IPL. However, the franchises opted to retain the contracts of only four of them - Akmal and Tanvir (Rajasthan Royals), Misbah (Royal Challengers Bangalore) and Gul (Kolkata Knight Riders) - after it became clear that they would not be able to play in the second season of the league. Younis though, turned his back on the league after announcing his retirement from the Twenty20 format soon after Pakistan won the world event. |
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