Asif's move points to bigger problems

The news of Mohammad Asif pulling out of his contract with Delhi Daredevils - while not entirely unexpected - does raise apprehensions of bigger problems in store.

Life had been tough and traumatic for this gifted swing bowler since last June, and it would now require a Herculean effort from him to be able to pick up the pieces and be able to bounce back. However, one can only understand if it's only the stress that has taken its toll on Asif and made him turn his back on a lucrative financial contract as this.

The speculation that will linger will be on whether the Daredevils - being a corporate franchise like all other IPL outfits - want to put their brand image above everything else and steer clear of a cricketer with such serious charges against him?

It's something which will possibly never come to light.

The second edition of the IPL, set to begin in April, will hence miss out on two of the biggest draws from the neighbouring country as the Kolkata Knight Riders had earlier 'released' Shoaib Akhtar from their roster.

There has been no update, meanwhile, on Shahid Afridi who is on contract with the Deccan Chargers.

There are, of course, a number of other Pakistan players who acquitted themselves well in the first IPL like Kamran Akmal, Sohail Tanveer and Salman Butt, and I only hope there are no diplomatic spanners put in the works, which would prevent their return for the second edition.

With sporting ties virtually snapped between the two countries in the wake of India refusing to tour Pakistan, it could be quite a ticklish problem for Lalit Modi & Company in the coming months.

For those involved in the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL), things could be even worse if there is an embargo that would prohibit Pakistan players from playing on Indian soil. The 20-odd players on board with Lahore Badshahs are on the banned list of Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and should their contracts be terminated by the Zee TV-run league, it will come as a real body-blow for Inzamam-ul-Haq and his men.

The cancellation of the Pakistan tour and the current sensitive political scenario has already seen a few sporting casualties in hockey and squash.

However, the impact will be much bigger - while both IPL and ICL will be a lot poorer - if all these crowd pullers go missing this year!