MUMBAI: The chances of Pakistani players participating in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) remain bleak as the IPL Governing Council has discreetly asked all the franchises not to consider opting for Pakistan players in the upcoming auctions.

The players auction are scheduled for January.

The BCCI of which IPL GC is a sub-committee is cautious about the possible fallout of allowing Pakistani players in the IPL since the relation between the two countries are yet to normalise ever since the 26/11 terror attacks in Mumbai.

According to a Mail Today report, the BCCI is also wary of several factors including the spot fixing controversy, the misbehavior on the part of some Pakistan players and the practicality of providing extra security and dealing with threats of disruption from various political and social organizations.

"We are trying to discourage the franchises against picking them during the auction. And there are obvious reasons for it," a BCCI source said.

Pakistani players had participated in the inaugural edition of the IPL. However, the 26/11 attack led to their exclusion from the tournament.

Incidentally, the Pakistani team is scheduled to tour India late December for a five match series which includes 3 ODIs and 2 T20s.

MUMBAI: The officials from Indian and Pakistani cricket boards have zeroed in on England as the alternate venue to host India?s return tour to Pakistan since the South Asian nation has become a no-go zone for cricketing nations after the Sri Lankan team was attacked in Lahore.

India was expected to tour Pakistan in early 2009. However, the bi-lateral series came to nought due to 26/11 terrorist attacks in Mumbai which had the blessing of elements in the Pakistani establishment.

However, after years of deliberations and intervention from highest level to normalise bi-lateral relations between the two countries, the Indian cricket board agreed to invite Pakistan for a short series including three ODI and two T20.

The beneficiary from this abruptly scheduled series is Star India as it holds the telecast rights of international cricked played in India.

According to reports, the BCCI and PCB officials had discussed the possiblity wherein India would have acted as Pakistan?s home venue. The proposal was dropped considering the fact that it would have met with stiff resistance domestically.

The BCCI is not keen in playing Pakistan in United Arab Emirates, which has become a regular home venue for Pakistan, since the Gulf state presents security challenge.

The reason England has emerged as hot favourite to host an Indo-Pak series is due to presence of cricket loving fans besides a sizeable expat population from South Asia. The time zones also favour England since it will be evening prime time in India when the matches are aired on channels.

Ten Sports, which holds the Pakistan board rights till 2013, will wish India to be reciprocal in accepting the return bi-lateral series that is rated higher than the Ashes rivalry between England and Australia.

MUMBAI: Sony Entertainment Television (SET) is opening up the 8 pm slot with an adaptation of the Pakistani television drama, Dhoop Kinare.

Launching on 3 October, the new daily fiction will replace the poor performer Krishnaben Khakrawala.

Kuch To Log Kahenge will air Monday to Friday at 8 pm. Sony is already strongly entrenched in the 8.30 pm-10 pm slot with the Amitabh Bachchan-hosted Kaun Banega Crorepati (KBC), while Bade Ache Lagte Hai is doing well in the 10.30 pm time band.

Said SET SVP and business head Sneha Rajani, "We are confident Kuch To Log Kahenge will open the 8 pm slot for us and additionally build up our fiction portfolio on weekdays. With Bade Acche Laggte Hai and Saas Bina Sasural strengthening our band of fiction properties and KBC having reached the length and breadth of the entire nation, ?Kuch To Log Kahenge? will further strengthen our position as the second most popular general entertainment channel in India."

Kuch To Log Kahenge will have to contest against Balika Vadhu on Colors, the leader in this time zone. Star Plus has Is Pyaar Ko Main Kya Naam Doon while Zee TV airs Shobha Somnath Ki.

Based in the locales of Bhopal and the backdrop of a hospital setting, Kuch To Log Kahenge highlights the nuances of a complicated relationship when two people with a huge age difference fall in love.

Kuch To Log Kahenge is a love story between people from two different generations -- mature Dr. Ashutosh and young Dr. Nidhi Verma.

The show will mark the return of Mohnish Behl in a lead role on small screen. Kritika Kamra will share the screen space with Behl as a lead opposite him. The show will also features actors such as Alok Nath, Vijay Kashyap and Rukhsar and new actors.