Sports
English T20 specialists refused additional bonus payments between USD 10,000 and USD 50,000.
Updated : Sep 30, 2017, 02:19 PM IST
Leading T20 specialists from England, including former skipper Kevin Pietersen, aggressive batsman Luke Wright and newest IPL big buy Tymal Mills, have refused lucrative bonus to play the Pakistan Super League final in Lahore citing security concerns.
The PCB's efforts to hold the PSL final in Lahore to convince the cricket world that it was safe to play international cricket in the country received a setback after the English T20 specialists refused additional bonus payments between USD 10,000 and USD 50,000.
All three English players are in the Quetta Gladiators franchise, which qualified for the final. Pietersen has in fact already returned to London and has tweeted about it. While a lot of people have accepted the move sportingly, some criticised the foreigners.
I'll pick that up in London tomorrow. Bye bye Dubai! Your weather was but the golf was. #FamilyTime https://t.co/jMIMrL26NY
— KP (@KP24) February 28, 2017
@Sisyfuss_ Obviously they won't and it's understandable tbh but you can't just leave in the middle aesay. So freakin unprofessional.
— Nayab Fareed (@Nayyyab) February 28, 2017
@KP24 Do you think people who live in Pakistan has lesser value than a rhino or an elephant ? Show some courage & join PSL Final
— SPARTACUS (@thinkffb) February 28, 2017
@PakCricket_ @KP24 He is a gutless Man..ok for his team mates to go BUT for him too dangerous..players like this just want cash no loyalty
— Naz (@Naz1o) February 28, 2017
@mfaisal_mirza was he here to play golf,kick this arogant man @KP24 out of PSL,like andrew strauss did , he doesnt deserve any respect
— Mehran Khan (@maaan001) February 28, 2017
Wright got slammed for this post
It's with a heavy heart I will not be coming to Lahore. I have a young family and for me a game of cricket is just not worth the risk 1/3
— Luke Wright (@lukewright204) February 28, 2017
I'm sorry as I know how much it means to you all and hopefully in the future the safety will not be in doubt to come play there. 2/3
— Luke Wright (@lukewright204) February 28, 2017
Thanks once again to @TeamQuetta and @thePSLt20 for having me. Such lovely people. Great tournament with so much talent. See u soon 3/3
— Luke Wright (@lukewright204) February 28, 2017
However, the cricketer decided to issue a witty reply
Fuck of you twat ! Millions live in this city and we all have families too. We are a peaceful nation and you will see that !! https://t.co/dPuYCTeY2Z
— Mustafa Khalid Lone (@mustafa_lone) March 1, 2017
Not sure you are very peaceful with a message like that!! https://t.co/oFRLCyV0ek
— Luke Wright (@lukewright204) March 1, 2017
Well-informed sources said that chances of other leading foreign players in the three franchises which remain in contention to join Quetta in the final are also unlikely to agree to travel to Lahore.
"Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardena who are representing Karachi Kings, David Malan and Chris Jordan who are with Peshawar Zalmi and Dwayne Smith, Samuel Badree, Brad Haddin, Shane Watson, Ben Duckett who are with Islamabad United have indicated to their franchises they are not interested in taking the risk of going to Lahore," one source said.
The source said the owner of Peshawar Zalmi, Javed Afridi was doing his best to convince West Indian, Darren Sammy who is the franchise captain to play in Lahore if their team qualifies for the final.
PSL chairman Najam Sethi has prepared a secondary list of foreign players many of them retired or not well known for an emergency players draft to be held for the two finalists if their main overseas players don't travel to Lahore.
Even the foreign commentators have backed out from travelling to Lahore for the final. As a result, the PCB has been forced to sign an emergency deal with a Dubai based TV production company to produce the final in Lahore. The ones who were contracted during the Dubai leg --Sunset and Vine television have also pulled out.