NEW DELHI: Sharad Pawar once again showed on Sunday that he is the biggest powerbroker in Indian sport. In a surprise development, the NCP president and Union agriculture minister played mediator on behalf of the BCCI meeting Shiv Sena supremo Bal Thackeray at the latter's residence Matoshree.

Pawar was accompanied by BCCI president Shashank Manohar for the meeting. Now it remains to be seen whether this clears the decks for the participation of Australian players. Manohar said that BCCI officials will be making a detailed presentation on the IPL games to be played in Mumbai.

The meeting at Matoshree, apparently to discuss the Sena's opposition to inclusion of Pakistan and Australia players in the third edition of the Indian Premier League, has created ripples in the state political circles, as both NCP and Sena are in an uneasy partnership with their respective allies - Congress and BJP. Specially flying down to Mumbai from Aurangabad, Pawar met Balasaheb who was joined by son Uddhav who drove down from Pune for the meeting.

Over a fortnight ago, the Shiv Sena had made it clear that it would not permit Australian players to play in Maharashtra for the ongoing attacks on Indians in that country. Interacting with mediapersons, Manohar said that "we presented our viewpoint before Thackeray on this critical issue".

"We also explained to them the format of the IPL teams and matches and how there were one or two Australian players in each team. He agreed to consider the issue in a couple of days," Manohar said.

Earlier on Sunday, Pawar had said that sports and politics must not be mixed and also announced his plans to meet Thackeray over the issue. While Pawar has come under flak from Congress leaders over price rise, Sena is vociferously opposed to a separate Vidarbha state, the demand backed by its ally BJP.

It may be too early to term the meeting between the two leaders as the beginning of a possible political realignment in the state, but it is sure to upset their allies. About 20 Australians, including Shane Warne, Matthew Hayden, Mike Hussey, Adam Gilchrist and Brett Lee, will be playing in the upcoming IPL. The Australian Cricket Players' Association had voiced security concerns of their players playing in Mumbai in light of the Sena's threat to oppose Australian players' participation because of attacks on Indians Down Under.