Monks ask Lankan players to stay away from IPL

A Buddhist monks' forum today asked Sri Lankan players to stay away from the IPL's sixth edition beginning on April 3.

The National Bhikku Federation called on the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) headquarters this afternoon to urge that players be not sent to play in the IPL.

"We treasure our players. They should not go to India and subject themselves to humiliation," Venerable Rajawatte Wappa, a leading monk told reporters.

Bowing to intense political pressure, the IPL Governing Council yesterday withdrew top Sri Lankan players from the Chennai matches of the high-profile IPL after Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa refused to host them in view of the prevailing anti-Sinhalese sentiments in the state.