No Lahore Lions in CLT20? BCCI yet to get clearance from Indian government

Champions League T20 is scheduled to start from September 13 (qualifiers)

With increased tensions at the border and a drop in Indo-Pak relations at the political level, the participation of Lahore Lions is looking increasingly unlikely in this year’s edition of Champions League T20.

Lahore Lions are one of the four teams which are scheduled to play in the qualifying stage of CLT20 from September 13. However, with relations going downhill, BCCI is fast giving up hopes of getting the permission from centre for the Lions’ participation.

BCCI is yet to get the approval from the centre for the team’s participation, but hasn’t received a reply since writing to the home ministry 3 weeks ago.

“We know what is happening. The scheduled talks were called off and the situation is tense at the border. In such a charged-up atmosphere, how can we go to the government again,” a top board official told Mumbai Mirror.

Other than the Lions, Mumbai Indians (Ind), Northern Knights (NZ) and Southern Express (SL) are the remaining teams slotted to compete in the qualifiers. The Mirror states that at such a short notice, BCCI is unlikely to name a replacement and may tweak the schedule to accommodate a 3-team qualifying round.

2 teams will go forward to the main round which begins on September 16. All qualifiers were earlier scheduled from September 13-16 in Raipur.

Despite the scenario, Lions posted on their Twitter account that they were expecting the clearance from BCCI soon

PCB is expecting clearance from the Indian government for visas to be issued to the @Lahore_Lions team for the Champions League in India.

— Lahore Lions (@Lahore_Lions) September 5, 2014

Our Team led by @MHafeez22 is due to fly out on September 9 to play the qualifying matches of the Champions League. #CLT20 #LahoreLions

— Lahore Lions (@Lahore_Lions) September 5, 2014

A confirmation may be expected in the coming days.