| MUMBAI:
Subhash Chandra-owned Indian Cricket League (ICL) seems to have walked into some
deep cost-cutting exercise.
In the latest turn of events, the rebel league has agreed to release its Pakistan
and New Zealand players. Shane Bond, Mohammad Yousuf and Mohammad Sami will, thus,
be returing to play international cricket. Razzaq
has claimed that ICL has terminated the contracts of all Pakistani players and
would issue 'No Objection Certificates' (NOCs) this week to enable them to play
elsewhere, including the national team. The Pakistani influence was substantial
in the league with ICL having an all Pakistan XI team, Lahore Badshahs. "In
the next two to three days we will have the NOCs in our hands and will be able
to submit it to the Pakistan Cricket Board," Razzaq said. Meanwhile,
as per media reports, the New Zealand players contracted with the league have
received an e-mail from the organisers saying that they will be released from
their contracts if they request for termination. New
Zealand Cricket (NZC) CEO Justin Vaughan told a newspaper that if these players
end their association with the unofficial league, they will be immediately available
for selection to the New Zealand national side. Besides Bond and Daryll Tuffey,
all-rounder Andre Adams and batsman Lou Vincent are part of the ICL.
"We
wouldn't stand in the way of any players returning to the Black Caps if they aren't
tied to the ICL," Vaughan said. "We've
made it pretty clear from the start that while we can't select players for New
Zealand who are contracted to the ICL, if they end their ties with the league
they would be immediately reconsidered for the national side," he added.
The
unauthorised league has, according to reports, placed on hold its payments to
several players pending a performance appraisal. Also
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