Younus for better IPL contracts
Pakistan captain Younus Khan has asked his teammates to push for better Indian Premier League (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," Younus 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. Younus, who played for Rajasthan Royals, noted, however, that top players like Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanvir, Umar Gul and Misbahul Haq were now worth more than the 100,000-dollar 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," Younus 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.
Younus 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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