Five Pakistan players sign up for ICL

[King]

Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood and Imran Farhat have finalised deals to play in the rebel league. More... Five Pakistan players sign up for ICL August 20, 2007 11:23 IST Last Updated: August 20, 2007 11:29 IST Pakistan cricket plunged into new crisis with Inzamam-ul-Haq [Images], Mohammad Yousuf [Images], Abdul Razzaq [Images], Azhar Mahmood and Imran Farhat [Images] finalising deals to play in the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL). One of the players told PTI on condition of anonymity that the deal was done but the ICL had restricted them from making any announcements. "The signings will be announced by the ICL themselves this week. We are not supposed to disclose anything," he said. However, a Pakistan Cricket Board official refused to believe that these players have signed the ICL contracts. "I can understand Azhar Mahmood, Inzamam or even Farhat signing to play in the ICL but I doubt it if Yousuf and Razzaq would sign up because they are still leading players for us and certain selections for our test and one-day teams," the official said. Razzaq, Azhar and Inzamam are in London [Images] at the moment and were not available for their comments. The Pakistani selectors had dropped Razzaq and Yousuf for the Twenty20 World Cup being held in South Africa next month. Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has become the first Pakistani player to sign up to play in the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL). Earlier, Inzamam's father had confirmed that his son had indeed signed up for the ICL. "He is in London where he has to gone to play for Yorkshire. But yes, he has signed with the ICL. That is what he told me when I last spoke to him," he said. The PCB has said it would not consider any player who is contracted to them for future selection if he plays in the Indian league.

[King]

I can understand Inzi and Azhar Mahmood signing up but why Yousuf, Razzaq and Farat? Yousuf and Razzaq quitting PCB for ICL is not good for Pakistan cricket. In fact it isn't good for world cricket either. PCB should be silly enough to not have tried to talk to them and award them some decent package. Otherwise they should allow the players to participate in the ICL while they aren't playing for Pakistan. It is stupid to go around threatening the players of consequences if they quit. Now the players have quit, what are they going to do? It won't be long Akthar or Asif end up with ICL too.

[beetle]

Agree....but I wonder wherethis guy is getting all this money to pay these guys.If it doesn't take off ...to yeh to gaya....

[King]

In the larger scheme of things the players pay out isn't really much. From what I know Stanford Twenty20s tourney conducted in WI saw about 10 million investment last year from an individual. The corporates will have way more than that kind of funds to spend.

[Chandan]

I can understand Inzi and Azhar Mahmood signing up but why Yousuf' date=' Razzaq and Farat? Yousuf and Razzaq quitting PCB for ICL is not good for Pakistan cricket. In fact it isn't good for world cricket either. PCB should be silly enough to not have tried to talk to them and award them some decent package. Otherwise they should allow the players to participate in the ICL while they aren't playing for Pakistan. It is stupid to go around threatening the players of consequences if they quit. Now the players have quit, what are they going to do? It won't be long Akthar or Asif end up with ICL too.[/quote'] Exactly. Why should the players be denied an opportunity which they'll gain through the skills that they have?? Whichever board threatens them for this is even sillier than BCCI.

[talksport]

Already NZ coach is asking ICC to complement ICL......He knows some of NZ players like Stephen Fleming wants to play ICL for money

[shailesh]

Abdul Razzaq quits international cricket cricinfo: Abdul Razzaq, the Pakistan allrounder, has announced his retirement from international cricket in protest against his omission from the Twenty20 World Championship squad. Razzaq told Geo TV he was "mentally upset" by the selectors' decision not to pick him and suggested the decision was based on factors outside cricket. "They used form and fitness as an excuse," he said. "I believe the selectors want to drop me from Test and ODI cricket as well and so, as a protest, I am quitting international cricket." As with many before him, however, Razzaq left the door open for a possible return. "There can be reconciliation but the board has to listen to the players' grievances. Why is the board acting like this with players, trying to get rid of all the seniors?" Razzaq's future has been the subject of frenzied speculation since his omission from the 15-man squad two weeks ago. He was publicly scathing of the PCB in a TV interview the day after he was dropped and has since delayed signing a central contract with the board. He has also been pondering over an offer to play in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), though he was quick to stress that it had little to do with his decision. "The ICL has nothing to do with it. I have taken this decision only because of my being dropped." He added that reports he had already signed up with the league were not correct. "I have an offer from them but I have not confirmed it yet. I will only decide in the next few days." Salahuddin Ahmed, the chief selector, dismissed Razzaq's claims that the selectors were trying to elbow him out of international cricket. "There is no victimisation. Our selection for the Twenty20 was purely on merit and the best team was picked," he told Cricinfo. "Razzaq's omission certainly does not mean the end of his international career. I hope he reconsiders his decision because he still has a future with Pakistan." Once considered among the finest allrounders in the game, Razzaq's career has failed to live up to expectations in recent years. His performances over the last couple of years, in particular, have been patchy. From his last 15 ODIs, he averages 17.30 with the bat and a highest score of 38. His once-bristling fast-medium seam bowling has lost some of its bite and in the same period he has taken only 12 wickets. Three fifties and 38 wickets in his last 15 Tests suggest the malaise isn't restricted to just limited-overs cricket, though injuries have hardly helped the process. He missed the Test series against South Africa late last year and the World Cup subsequently. In 2005, he also missed the home series against England with an elbow injury. Razzaq's decision comes in the background of more reports that at least four other Pakistan players, including Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf, are set to sign on with the ICL.

[beetle]

He is acting like he is the greatest cricketer Pak has ever produced and his selection should be never in doubt. In protest my foot! Why can't he just say that he is considering a better offer.That is so much morerespectful and believable Brat!

[King Tendulkar]

Mo you has signed up

[Donny]

Inzamam, Yousuf head ICL roster Cricinfo staff August 20, 2007 The Indian Cricket League unveiled its roster of players for the first season on Monday. Four Pakistan players, including Inzamam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Yousuf, and several Indian players including internationals JP Yadav, Deep Dasgupta, Dinesh Mongia and Reetinder Sodhi and promising youngsters Ambati Rayudu and Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, were among the players named. Abdul Razzaq, who announced his retirement from international cricket today, and Imran Farhat were the other Pakistani players named. The announcement was made at a function attended by, among others, Kapil Dev, chairman of the the ICL executive board, Sandeep Patil, Kiran More and EAS Prasanna. Himanshu Mody, the ICL's business head, was also present. More to follow .........

[zubinpepsi]

Pakistan player esp Yosuf will standout as fools.. cuz they r the ones who left their national career cuz of ICL which is an unknown entity and no other current players from other countries are in the list. But then MoYo will have his own reasons. I see his signing as mere a snub to PCB. well done !! now PCB wakeup and see how you can treat your players. orelse you wud b competing for the last rank in the ICC table. I wish BCCI could get some more egg on its face.

[King Tendulkar]

Mo yo is massive blow for pak cricket. He is there best batsman and will now never play for pak again! If PCB maintains there tough stance which I believe they will

[Chandan]

In the press conference they announced just 4 names: Inzy MoYo Razzaq Farhat

[Donny]

The list of Indian players who have signed up includes: Dinesh Mongia, JP Yadav, Deep Dasgupta, Dheeraj Jadhav, Ambati Rayudu, Abbas Ali, Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, Avinash Yadav, Reetinder Sodhi, Hemanth Kumar, Inder Shekar Reddy, Ishan Malhatra, Kaushik Reddy, Laxmi Shukla, Manish Sharma, Mohammad Ibrahim, Monish Mishra, Robin Morris, Alfred Absolem, Ali Murtaza, Shashank Nag, Shibsagar Singh, Abhijit Shetye, Devendran, Sumit Kalia, Dakshinamoorthy Kumaran, Taduri Prakash Sudhindra, Sarabjit Singh, Thirunavakarasu Kumaran, Ganapathi Vignesh, Devishetty Vinay Kumar, Yashpal Singh, J Hariesh, R Satish, Rajesh Sharma, Ranjeet Khirid, , Sachin Talpade, Shalabh Srivastava, Shreyas Khanolkar, Subhojit Paul, Sumit Kalia, Subhomoy Das, Raviraj Patil

[Guest dada_rocks]

let us go and see nazara of chest-beating crying traitor :haha:

[karina]

Agree....but I wonder wherethis guy is getting all this money to pay these guys.If it doesn't take off ...to yeh to gaya....

Good point Radhika, I was wondering the same! So when are the games going to take off? All we hear is that the ICL has signed this one and that one/

[coverpoint]

Again repeating what I had said else where, this is something that should be encouraged. And Why does this have to be an either OR? Why cant these players still be eligible for Pak games just because they played ICL? Its all the boards ganging up to keep their monoply!

[MundaPakistani]

Amazing decision by Yousuf in particular!

[yoda]

Amazing decision by Yousuf in particular!

I agree. Looks like he is just mighty pi$$ed at the PCB.

[beetle]

I think he really got pissed off by Malik's appointment as captain.He probably didn't say anything because people expect him to be all religious and above all this.:P