PCB withdraws domestic ban on ICL players

Karachi, Feb 11 (PTI) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)
Wednesday allowed players aligned with the 'rebel' Indian
Cricket League (ICL) to take part in domestic tournaments but
left it to International Cricket Council (ICC) to decide on
their international career.

"We have allowed them to play domestic cricket but only
the ICC can decide on lifting the international cricket ban on
the ICL players," PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt told a news
conference Wednesday.

"We are waiting as the ICC is holding talks with the ICL
and Indian Board on the issue of granting recognition to the
rebel league or find some other solution," Butt added.

He also made it clear that the ICC had toughened its
regulations that govern the right of home boards to allow
tournaments and matches in their own countries.

"The new regulations are much tougher and allow the ICC
to penalise any member country which does not follow the new
regulations that come into effect from June 1 this year," Butt
said.

He said under the new regulations, the ICC could fine and
even stop allocation of funds to those countries which didn't
abide by the new regulations.

Butt said the ICC had allowed the 'rebels' to play
domestic cricket if they got relief from courts.

A total of 19 Pakistani former and present players had
earlier filed a petition in the Sindh High Court challenging
the ban imposed on them by the PCB.

The court has suspended the domestic ban until the case
is decided.

Butt said the PCB would like to see the ICL players
return to national team but this could only be possible if the
ICC allowed them to play international cricket or the players
cancelled their contracts with the rebel league.

"It is an issue that needs to be resolved but we cannot
do anything as the matter is now in the hands of the ICC," he
said.

Butt reiterated the Board would welcome back senior
batsman Mohammad Yousuf into the national team if he ended his
ICL contract.

"He is one of our best players and the team definitely is
missing him in the middle order but he has to leave the ICL to
be considered for Pakistan again," Butt said. PTI COR