Pakistan doesn't care if Afghanistan players get paid crores, claims Miandad

Sunrisers Hyderabad paid an incredible Rs 4 Crores for 18-year-old leggie Rashid Khan while all-rounder Mohammad Nabi was acquired for Rs 30 Lakh by the defending Champions in the IPL auction on Monday. Miandad said that now that Pakistan have a successful league (PSL) of their own, they did not feel bad about not playing in the IPL.

"We don't care if an Afghan player or any other player is bought in the IPL for millions of rupees. Earlier, we used to feel bad when Pakistani players were not able to play in IPL, but now we have our own Pakistan Super Legaue, which is very successful," Miandad told Sportswallah in an exclusive interview. 

Even though Miandad issued a warning to the Afghanistan Cricket Board stating that they should focus on improving the country's infrastructure, he said that the Afghan players would now be seen in all major leagues across the globe. 

"If a product is great, it will sell across the world. Similarly, a good player will always have admirers all over the world," Miandad said.

The former Pakistan captain was also critical of the Pakistan cricket board on their handling of the Mohammad Amir case and the recent match-fixing allegations. 

“Only the Board is to blame for this mess. In a population of 20 million people, the Board insisted on recalling Mohammad Amir to the national side as if they were no other talent available in the country. When you set such examples what do you expect from other players,” Miandad concluded. 

While Miandad does make an important point of Afghan players needing to get even better to survive in the World cricket, it is very difficult not to get a sense of sour grapes in his quotes.