Cheerleaders ‘a distraction'

Cheerleaders ‘a distraction'
David Clough Last Updated: April 25. 2008 3:00AM UAE / April 24. 2008 11:00PM GMT

Cheerleaders have certainly done their part to add entertainment for spectators attending Indian Premier League games. Washington Post

HYDERABAD // Cheerleaders may have added a dash of glamour to the billion-dollar Indian Premier League, but Shahid Afridi sees them as a distraction.

The Pakistan all-rounder, who is signed up to the Deccan Chargers, rejects the idea they add to the entertainment value of the game.

“The girls in skimpy dresses should be removed from the ground as this is distracting the batsmen,” he said.

“Cricket itself is an entertainment. It does not require such cheerleaders to entertain.”

Afridi, a veteran of 258 one-day matches, made an inauspicious IPL debut on Tuesday. He scored just two runs in seven balls, while 17 runs were scored off his two overs as the Chargers lost to the Delhi Daredevils by nine wickets.

Afridi, who was bought by his team for $675,000 (Dh2.5m), also feels Pakistani players have been undervalued in the IPL.

“Bids on Pakistan players have not been as high when compared to the bids on other players,” he said.

“Players like Misbah-ul-Haq, Umar Gul and Shoaib Malik, who performed exceptionally well in the Twenty20 World Cup last year, did not get their due.

“I feel some Pakistan players should have received much higher bids.”

* PA Sport