LAHORE:  -As Shahid Afridi emerged as the costliest player in the auction of the soon-to-be-launched Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), Pakistani players feel they no more suffer due to the IPL snub.
Afridi fetched a selling price of USD 700,000 while the Caribbean marauder Chris Gayle was sold for USD 551,100. Pakistan's discarded wicket-keeper Kamran Akmal said by not allowing them to play in India, it is IPL which is suffering.
"I don't think we are suffering because the IPL doesn't want us. By not playing us the IPL is missing out on crowd pullers because I know for a fact that Indian crowds love to watch Pakistani players in action," Akmal said.
Pakistani players have not played in IPL since the 2009 Mumbai terror attacks. He stressed that Pakistani players were in high demand in all other countries where domestic T20 leagues were being organized.
"Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Rana Naved, Umar (Akmal), Umar Gul, Saeed (Ajmal) and many others have got frequent offers to play in these leagues," he said. Afridi, Razzaq and Rana Naved are featuring in the Australian Big Bash T20 event and are also scheduled to take part in the South African T20 tournament.
Meanwhile, Discarded Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal has decided to skip Pentangular Cup - one of the country's premier domestic events - in order to regain his place in the national team.
Kamran got permission to skip the Pentangular Cup tournament that began at different venues in Pakistan on Thursday and play in Bangladesh Premier League in order to regain his place in the national team.
Dropped from the Pakistan team after the 2011 World Cup, Kamran said he had opted out of the Punjab team. "I have got clearance from the Pakistan board as I feel by playing in overseas events I have better chances of making a comeback and also keeping in touch with international cricket," Kamran said.
In contrast former captain, Shoaib Malik has returned from Bangladesh to play in the Pentangular Cup in order to convince the selectors that he can still contribute to the national team.
"I wanted to play in the Pentangular Cup and prove my form to the selectors because I want to revive my Pakistan career as soon as possible and I know I have a lot of cricket left in me," he said.
Malik, who has been included in the Punjab team, was playing in the Bangladesh 50-over league before deciding he wanted to return home for the domestic event.
The Pentangular Cup is a first class tournament played between the four provinces and the Federal areas team.
The Pakistan cricket Board in order to ensure that top players take part in the competition have only agreed to issue conditional NOCs to players interested in playing in the cash rich Bangladesh Premier League next month.
Number of Pakistani players including Mohammad Sami, Shahzaib Hasan have been playing in the Bangladesh 50-over league this month but have returned home for the domestic event.