Photos: AFP

Former Pakistan cricketers Saeed Ajmal and Faisal Iqbal on Friday said that international cricketers should be prohibited to partake in the Pakistan Super League (PSL), if they are unwilling to tour the country with their respective countries citing security concerns.

The two cricketer-turned-coaches expressed their disappointment over the news that as many as 10 Sri Lankan players chose to opt out of the ODI and T20 series in Karachi and Lahore.

"I was very hurt when these Sri Lankan players backed out of the tour because the security situation in our country has improved a lot," said Ajmal.

"Our board or government would never ask anyone to play in Pakistan unless they were not sure they could provide the best security environment.”

The duo urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to make a policy against players who refuse to tour Pakistan.

“I think those Sri Lankan players or foreigners who can come for PSL matches should also tour with their national teams. Anyone who refuses to come with their teams should not be included in the PSL draft,” Ajmal said.

Ajmal also reminded the island nation that Pakistan had never refused to tour Sri Lanka despite its own political unrest.

“It hurts because we have had plenty of international cricket and PSL matches in Pakistan in the last two years,” he added.

Iqbal, meanwhile, said that it was time to move on from the 10-year-old tragedy.

However, when asked if they agreed with Shahid Afridi’s claims of Sri Lankan players being pressured by their IPL sides, the two responded in the negative.

“I don’t think the Indians are involved but my point is that if it is safe for anyone to play PSL matches in Pakistan then they should also tour with their teams,” said Faisal.

"I don’t think so," Ajmal chimed in, adding that "we should always think positively not negatively."

'Players unwilling to tour Pakistan should not be part of PSL'