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Fresh hope for Pakistan IPL involvement

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Pakistan TeamThe Pakistan Cricket Board has admitted it is optimistic that the country’s players might get a chance to play in the Indian Premier League next year after revealing the national side had no commitments lined up between March and October 2014.

The main reason for the fresh optimism stemmed from the decision to invite the Pakistani domestic T20 champions for the Champions League Twenty20 this year as well as last year, with links between Indian and Pakistani cricket continuing to strengthen.

A senior official of the PCB confirmed there was a fresh chance Pakistani players will now be able to play in next year’s T20 tournament, with star names such as Saeed Ajmal and Shahid Afridi possibly in with a chance of being invited to the 2014 IPL auction.

The Pakistan duo are already booked to play in the Ram Slam T20 Challenge, South Africa’s Twenty20 league; with all-rounder Afridi signing for the Chevrolet Knights and spinner Ajmal agreeing to turn out for the Titans in the tournament starting early next year.

The Titans, who finished runners-up to the Highveld Lions in this year’s tournament, will go into next year’s event right up there with the cricket odds to win a third domestic T20 crown, and Betfair will have customers covered for the 2014 tournament.

While the PCB official admitted no talks had yet taken place between the Pakistan and a Indian authorities over the IPL, he did reveal there was some renewed optimism a deal could be reached for Pakistan players to play in next year’s tournament.

“We have no series scheduled right now for this period so we are hoping that the Indian Board (BCCI) will next year invite our players for the IPL in April and May. Hopefully things will change for the better next year and our players will be invited for the IPL although so far we have had no discussions on this issue with the BCCI,” said the official.

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