Pakistan Cricket Board Chairman Naseem Ashraf today issued a clear warning
to former captain Inzamam-ul Haq, saying he would not be considered for national
selection if he decides to play for the breakaway Indian Cricket League.
"Since the International Cricket Council (ICC) does not recognise
this private tournament our position is clear -- any Pakistani player who plays
in the League will not be considered for national selection again," Ashraf
said.
"Our policy is clear we will not give permission to any of our players
to play in the Indian league as it is not supported by the officialdom,"
he said.
Inzamam, who has been ignored by the PCB for a central contract
after announcing retirement from the one-day cricket following Pakistan's World
Cup debacle, yesterday said he would like to play in the League if the terms
were right from the ICL organisers.
Former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif also said from
London that he had also been spoken to by the ICL organisers but would not go
to India unless he got PCB clearance.
"It is all too premature but I would like to have clearance
from the PCB to play in the ICL," he added.
Rashid said he was interested in playing in the ICL if the
money was good but not at the risk of spoiling his relations with the Board.
Cricket analysts, however, have questioned how the Board could
stop those players from accepting contracts from the ICL who are not contracted
to them. "Basically, if you go to court it comes down to depriving a professional
the right to earn from his profession if he has no legal obligations with the
governing authority. The same thing happened during the Kerry Packer
days," said an analyst.
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