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[poondu]

Pakistan has 16 players in the ICL

Ashraf says PCB will back Yousuf

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Karachi: Having missed the DLF-Indian Premier League (IPL) bus, Pakistan run-machine Mohammad Yousuf may eventually return to the ‘rebel’ fold, according to sources.

Yousuf is reportedly unhappy at missing the IPL despite assurances by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which had earlier prompted him to back out of the deal he had with the Indian Cricket League (ICL).

The ICL authorities subsequently filed a petition before a single bench arbitrator in Mumbai, claiming that he cannot play in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)-backed venture after first signing with them.

The arbitrator has reserved his order till April 30, but Yousuf is now seriously considering joining the ICL after some positive feedbacks from former captains Inzamam-ul-Haq, Moin Khan and former Test spinner Mushtaq Ahmed.

Sources said Yousuf and some leading Pakistan players, who are uncertain about their future with the Pakistan team and unhappy with the prevailing cricket condition in the country, had shown interest in joining the ICL next season.

“Inzamam, Moin and Mushtaq have passed on very positive feedback about the ICL and the way it treats some leading players in Pakistan,” a reliable source said. “The movement has started, but nothing will be disclosed now because the current season is already halfway through,” the source added.

He said pacer Umar Gul and Yasir Hameed could also be among the next batch of players from Pakistan, besides Yousuf, to join the ICL.

Largest representation


At present Pakistan has the largest representation in the ICL among foreign players with 16, 14 of them playing for Lahore Badshahs.

Meanwhile, the PCB Chairman, Nasim Ashraf, said the Board would back Yousuf all the way and questioned the legality of how the ICL had picked an arbitrator of its choice.

“The ICL has picked an arbitrator of its choice. We feel the arbitration panel should have at least three persons with one totally independent person. We had reservations over the appointed arbitrator and our legal advisors have even served a notice that we reserve the right to not only sue the ICL, but also the arbitrator if Yousuf is not allowed to play for the IPL,” Ashraf said.

“We are not going to allow the arbitrator to play around Yousuf’s career like a tennis ball. We will fight this case to the end and we are still firmly behind Yousuf,” he added. — PTI

[dextrous]

ICL world champs are starting soon!!!

any idea how i can watch this?

[Blwe_torch]

If Gul goes...it will be double blow for the Kolkata team!