PCB clears stance on ICL players
Pti, Karachi
The Pakistan Cricket Board on Friday made it clear that it would never recognise the unofficial Indian Cricket League or lift ban on its players until the ICC and the Indian board changed their policy on the league.
PCB chairman Ejaz Butt said Pakistan was only following the policy laid down by the BCCI and International Cricket Council.
"We would like to see this issue resolved as many of our players are in the ICL. We would like to consider them again for Pakistan if the ICL becomes legal," Butt said.
He said since the Indian board didn't give permission to the ICL, the ICC also refused to recognise the tournament.
"Subsequently member boards of the ICC also follow the same policy that the ICL is an illegal tournament," he said.
Asked why Pakistan had imposed blanket bans on its players for signing up with the ICL, while other countries like England and Sri Lanka had a softer stance, Butt said Pakistan wanted to see an early resolution of the issue.
"In England the counties are playing the ICL players because of court cases," he said.
Asked if the Board would change its stance if the Pakistani players went to court to challenge their bans, Butt said the Board was bound to follow court directives.
The director general of the PCB, former Test captain Javed Miandad and even Butt have recently given out indications that they are not happy with having to impose blanket bans on their players for playing in the ICL.
Pakistan has nearly 18 players appearing in the ICL many of whom can still play for the national team. But Butt maintained Pakistan couldn't have an independent policy for the ICL and its players and had to follow the ICC policy.
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