Shiv Sena has withdrawn its opposition to Australian cricket players playing in the third edition of the Indian Premier League in the country. The party was threatening to prevent the players from playing in Mumbai and Maharashtra due to the attacks on Indians living in Australia.

The party chief Bal Thackeray had said earlier that Shiv Sena wont allow cricketers from Australia to enter Maharashtra until the racist attacks on Indians stopped in Australia. He had also met the Cricket officials and discussed his planned boycott.

The attacks against people of Indian origin and particularly Indian students in Australia have caused outrage in the country. The party has now decided not to cause any trouble for the players.

In an official statement he said "Indian brothers living in Australia asked us to lift the ban as it would aggravate their problems."

Shiv Sena was trying to raise the voice against racism and it's not in its agenda to prevent players from Australia to play in the country, said Sanjay Raut who is the executive editor of Saamna, the party newspaper.

Union minister Sharad Pawar had earlier met Mr. Bal Thackeray and tried to convince him to withdraw his opposition to Australian players playing in the tournament.

The party had also called for a boycott to the latest movie 'My name is Khan' because the comments by the actor Shah Rukh Khan in which he said that the cricket players from Pakistan should be include in the third edition of the Indian Premier League. However, the excellent response the movie received from the public in Mumbai and other parts of the state forced the party to drop its agitation.