It's a deal: Pak players to sit out for now

A day after Shiv Sainiks protested against the participation of Pakistani players in Mumbai, workers of Panthers Party and Hindu Yuvak Sabha (Hindu Sena) got into the act prior to and during the inaugural match of the Hockey India League (HIL) at the Major Dhyan Chand Stadium in the Capital on Monday.

The impact of the protest was immediately felt as none of the Pakistani players — Mohammad Rizwan Sr and Mohammad Rizwan Jr of Delhi Waveriders, and Kashif Shah of Punjab Warriors  — was named in the squad for the tournament opener.

Just when Hockey India (HI) officials decided to sit back and enjoy the match after as spectacular opening ceremony, two young workers of Hindu Yuvak Sabha stepped onto the field (in the 32nd minute of the game) and shouted slogans. They were intercepted by a few ‘bouncers’, employed by the organisers, at the corner of the field and forcefully ejected.

“Stop relations with Pakistan till they return martyr Hemraj’s head,” was their demand.
Meanwhile, a top HI official informed DNA that all five franchise holders have been to keep all their Pakistani recruits off the field. “Initially, we were concerned about the Mumbai matches. But now that the protest is spreading to other cities, we are not really sure when we will be able to field any of the Pakistani players,” the official added. “HI has an understanding with the five teams. For the time being, no team will field any Pakistani player,” he added.

Apparently, a top Shiv Sena leader has HI officials that the party “will have no issues” if Pakistani players are not fielded in Mumbai.

“The negotiations are going on at different levels between different parties at the moment, including with the government agencies, and it would not be appropriate to say anything on record till a solution is arrived at. The logical thing is to keep the Pakistani players out, at least for the moment,” the HI official said.

Nine Pakistani players are part of the HIL. UP Wizards is the only side without a player from across the border. Earlier, all four Pakistani players — Mahmood Rashid, Fareed Ahmed, Muhammad Tousiq and Imran Butt — were part of the Mumbai Magicians squad that turned up for practice here on Monday. But as soon as the protesters approached Gate No 1, the players were asked to board the team bus and leave.

The protesters stood outside the gate for close to an hour. “We’ll not allow any Pakistani to play on our soil,” they said. The tension was defused soon after an HI official assured the leader of the pack that “no Pak player will feature in the (inaugural) match”.