Lalit Modi, a Ex- commissioner of the IPL has disclosed that the BCCI, had a role to play in the exclusion of Pakistani players from the league. The league saw the effective inclusion of Pakistani players in its very first year in 2008.

However, after the Nov 26, 2008 strikes, Pakistani cricketers were almost exclusively shunned from next edition. None of the sides bid for the Pakistani cricketers up for auction in the 2009 event organised in South Africa. The BCCI had refused any wrong doing on its part, insisting that sides took personal judgements to not sign Pakistani cricketers. No Pakistani cricketer has featured in the event since then.

Lalit Modi, in an inteverview to a Private Tv channel says that “armtwisting” by the BCCI had led to the shut out of the Pak players. Lalit Modi also disclosed that the auction of English cricketer Andrew Flintoff in the 2009 edition too was rigged.