Indian Hindu party withdraws Aussie cricket protest

The leader of a right-wing Hindu group has withdrawn a threat to prevent Australia's cricketers from playing in the Indian Premier League tournament because of attacks on Indians living Down Under.

Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray said they had dropped their opposition as "Indian brothers living in Australia asked us to lift the ban as it would aggravate their problems," he said in a statement issued late Tuesday.

The ultra-nationalist party last month vowed to stop "kangaroo cricketers" from participating in the short-format Twenty20 competition in Mumbai and Maharashtra state until the attacks stopped.

Thackeray recently met representatives from the Indian cricket board to discuss the planned boycott.

MUMBAI, AFP