Will Pakistani IPL cricketers be up for auction?

After being conspicuously absent from the second Indian Premier League (IPL) Pakistani's leading Twenty20 cricketers, and the rest of us, are wondering whether they'll be back for the third tournament.

A diplomatic tussle is currently being played out between the IPL/BCCI, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and both the governments. Which is getting a little confusing with all the "Yes, they will. No, they won't."

Here's where it stands.

On November 5 The Times of India reported, "Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ejaz Butt said the PCB would not object to its players taking part in the lucrative league and has conveyed this to IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi during a meeting in India. "I spoke to him about our players taking part in the next IPL season and have requested him to ensure that Pakistani players are allowed to play in the league next year," he said.

However, today in Pakistan, The News paper writes, "Requesting anonymity, the [Pakistani] player said that he has been told by an official that there exists a lack of communication between the two -- Pakistan and Indian -- governments which could result in yet another setback for Pakistani cricketers."

“From what I’ve learnt, the Indian authorities are still undecided on clearing the visit of Pakistani players for the IPL,” he said. “Apparently they want our authorities to seek their (India’s) permission for Pakistani cricketers to take part in the league,” added the player.

Now the deal, according to ESPN CricInfo, is this:

"Pakistan cricketers can return to the IPL from March 2010 if the PCB provides a no-objection certificate (NOC) and government clearance and also ensures that their visas are in order by November 20, three days before the player trading season for 2010 starts."

And a Times of India article quoted Pakistani all rounder Abdul Razzaq confirming that, "Yes the PCB has given us NOCs for the IPL and hopefully this time we will be able to take part in the league in India," Razzaq said.

In all likelihood Shahid Afridi, Shoaib Malik and Umar Gul will be up for sale for season three which starts March 12 when the Deccan Chargers clash with the Kolkata Knight Riders in Hyderabad. 

But first the January 19 player auction where eight teams must spend a cool $750,000 on the costliest cricketers in the world. That's a piece of action they won't want to miss. But of course, there are larger issues at hand.