Why are WI and Pakistan playing at the same time as the IPL?

Dear Editor,

Can anyone explain why the West Indies are playing Pakistan at virtually the same time the IPL games are being played? One can understand why Pakistan, whose players do not play in the IPL would be willing to be involved, but what is the rationale for the involvement of the West Indies?

Does management want to demonstrate that the mercenaries will always show their true colours? The key to the avoidance of all this angst in international cricket about players not making the sacrifices necessary to make themselves available to represent their countries, is scheduling. This is not soccer with a ton of countries. There are about ten countries playing serious cricket.

Ten people (preferably women) with a computer and a world map, and the will can solve this problem. The whole business is just so ridiculous.

Why are cricketers forced to choose between the possibility, even the probability, of earning blue collar wages and the certainty of an executive pay scale?

Guess what the WICB directors and those who support them would do if presented with such an option?

Yours faithfully,

Romain Pitt