Indian Cricket League 2008-09 / News
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Indian Cricket League
Mohammad Yousuf set to rejoin ICL
Cricinfo staff
November 3, 2008
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Mohammad Yousuf is on the verge of signing up again with the ICL, in what will represent one of the league's biggest coups. The news comes on a day that he was named in a 15-man squad to take on West Indies in three ODIs later this month in Abu Dhabi.
Although the ICL is yet to make an official announcement, Cricinfo has learnt that Yousuf has arrived in Delhi ahead of final talks with top league officials on Tuesday. And ICL sources confirmed to Cricinfo that he was close to signing up to play in the ongoing second season. It is not yet known which team he will play for.
When contacted, the PCB said it was trying to confirm whether Yousuf had joined the ICL, before taking any action. "We called his family home after hearing of these reports. They told us he has gone to India to play cricket," Zakir Khan, the PCB's director of cricket operations, told Cricinfo. "We want to get in touch with him, as we have not been told anything, to see what the facts of the situation are before we take any further steps."
Some important legal questions remain unanswered at the moment, for the ICL's latest acquisition is a long-running saga. Yousuf had initially signed up with the league in September 2007, in protest at being axed from Pakistan's squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.
He was later lured out of playing in the ICL by the Pakistan board, with the promise of a lucrative contract in the IPL. But the ICL took the matter to an arbitration court in Mumbai, arguing that as Yousuf had signed up with them, he was ineligible to play for any other league.
A stay order was passed against Yousuf's participation in the IPL, though an appeal was later filed by the PCB on Yousuf's behalf in the Bombay High Court. There the matter has so far remained.
The IPL, meanwhile, is looking at the legal options available. "I don't have the papers with me but we will be definitely exploring all legal options," Niranjan Shah, the IPL's vice-chairman, told Cricinfo.
Also in the spotlight will come Yousuf's international future with Pakistan. All boards around the world have taken their cue from the BCCI in barring ICL-contracted players from playing for the national team, or in some cases, even domestic sides. The PCB was no different: under the previous chairman Nasim Ashraf, all of Pakistan's ICL players have been barred from representing Pakistan or playing domestic cricket. As per that policy, Yousuf will not represent Pakistan again which will put their selectors in a fix, having just announced the squad.
But the present administration - not available for comment currently - has hinted at a different, though not yet fully-formed, stance. At his first press conference after taking over as chairman, Ijaz Butt said the bans on ICL players would have to be looked at again as he didn't see a difference between the ICL and the IPL. Inzamam-ul-Haq, currently leading the Lahore Badshahs in the ICL, has been in touch with Butt directly about the issue and is likely to pursue it in an effort to allow players back into the national fold. Zakir Khan, though, maintained that the PCB's policy on ICL "remains the same".
Yousuf's limited-overs future has been the subject of increasing debate in Pakistan, despite a stellar record in recent years. His relatively poor fielding skills have been held against him regularly, as are his advancing years now. He has been open in his criticisms of this view, recently hitting out at the previous selection committee for continuing to ignore him from the Twenty20 side. That attack prompted the committee to select him for the Twenty20 tournament in Canada in August, though ultimately Yousuf couldn't go because of problems with his visa.
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Its all cricket. its difficult to understand why all boards dance to the tune of BCCI. There is a limit to budge for money power. The boards are spoiling the quality of their national teams by sacking players associated with ICL. Absolutely suicidal. These guys are playing just cricket and not killing somebody for a living. I think the cricket boards af all the countries should stand up together and fight this high handed authorititarian attitude of BCCI and IPL.
Posted by CricAficionado on (November 05 2008, 21:24 PM GMT)Whats with this banning the players from playing the game ? No one really seems to understand what the game is losing here. Cricket has already lost a string of top-class players with them being banned for playing to ICL. Do we need to see any more of this ?
Posted by PKCNA on (November 05 2008, 16:12 PM GMT)What the hell this is happening to the cricketers, specially Pakistani Cricketers? A player is meant to be the representative of a country. And every player should provide his full services to his country first. Then he can think think of other matters. Their countries have given them the platform to play, fame, pride and everything. And the players should give their full services to their countries anytime and in any situation. They should not sell themselves for the sake of money. Money is not everytghing. Tell me; how much money they need? They are already the elite class of the country. I am feeling very sad to hear about Yousif. I think these cricketers (including Yousif) should be banned for life time. Because they setting aside their national duties for the sake of money, money and money.
Posted by DjHeaven on (November 05 2008, 15:42 PM GMT)I think IPL=ICL=Playing Cricket. If it's like this then I don't see a reason for boards or ICC to stop anyone from playing. Stopping someone from playing is denying their basic human right, Freedom!! I think UNO should come into play with this issue, honestly. It should not matter where and for who you play. Boards should give players a choice, play for National side and who ever but priority is National side, they go by this let them do whatever they want to do. ICC should see it the same way as they see English County Cricket and IPL. What is so special about them which ICL doesn't? Another event for cricket lovers, why not!! what is wrong with ICL?? ICC and boards cannot even control their members, why do they want to control players? It's not fair. Everyone has a free will and RIGHT to make decisions which suit them, at the end of the day its every man for himself. Any cricketing event should not be seen the way they are seeing ICL. Keep the good work up (Y). May Allah help you!
Posted by Adnan_80 on (November 05 2008, 15:20 PM GMT)It is a famous quote in management that " People dont leave organizations but leave managers" and if in any organization if people starts resigning, the manager must be asked by higher authorities that whats going wrong? Here I believe the Captain and management must be asked that why players are leaving. May be the players are not happy with the ignorance and the way they are treated by the captain and management.
Posted by Rsaiyed on (November 05 2008, 15:06 PM GMT)It's about time that someone stands up and puts an end to this nonsense! The cricket boards all over the world are banning special talents like Yousuf and Shane Bond to appease the BCCI (and Lalit Modi's ego)which is preposterous! There is no justification in these bans that the boards are imposing. I cannot fathom a retard like Zakir Khan making that decision for the rest of Pakistan. If this is not tyrrany than what is? Grow some balls PCB!!! Do not run after the BCCI like rats!! Besides the BCCI keeps you out of all their league play (they always invite Aus/SA/NZ/Eng before they invite you). What law have these players broken?? That they didn't comply with the little dictator Modi's rules?? Stop the destruction of world cricket!!!!!!
Posted by marwaan on (November 05 2008, 13:36 PM GMT)ICC is weak, end of. Wonder how much the IPL are paying them to continue with this ridiculous "ban" on the ICL. They are merely rival tournaments...Well done ICC. Thanks to you, we won't enjoy the sight of of a talent like Shane Bond charging in to wreak havoc on some poor, unsuspecting international batting line-up. Your incompetence at dealing with the BCCI on this issue has now robbed an entire generation of cricket-loving fanatics of the legend that is Mohammad Yousuf...You have done yourselves proud (sic), showered yourselves in glory (and a not insignificant amount of cash)and done the cricketing world a huge disservice...The ICC and BCCI are not bigger than the game, and it is the players and the fans who make the game the joy that it is; not you idiotic, bumbling, incompetent, gutless administrators... The recent banning of Mohammad Yousuf, Shane Bond and the 10 Bangladeshi cricketers mark a dark chapter in the incredible history of this game. Hope you can sleep at night...
Posted by Moblicious on (November 04 2008, 16:37 PM GMT)Yousaf is yet another Pakistani cricketer who thinks he is above the game. He clearly understands the circumstances of opting to go with ICL yet he has gone this route. Why is yousaf simply greedy and he understands and he wants to get the maximum out in the twilight of his career. I gurantee he'll get a very lucrative package from ICL crew for making this move. To keep his image clean, Yousaf will try to sluff blame on PCB for not treating him well and not considering him for Twenty20's or not offering him the team captency or some crap like that, just to cover his you know what... He can't field, can't play fast and that rules out him out of Twenty20 format and also his contribution in the latest Twenty20 cup in Pakistan says it all about his capabilities in this shortest version of the game. His inability to play under pressure and lack of man managment skills keep him from the captain's ring. Mr.Yousaf just go away and PCB should make a statment saying Thankyou Yousaf.
Posted by original_jawz on (November 04 2008, 13:13 PM GMT)The question here isn't whether the ICL is a banned league or not. That has been discussed to death up until now. The real question is what is it that Yousuf feels he stands to gain from the ICL? And whose responsibility is it to provide the proper guidance to yet another clearly misguided and disenchanted cricketer of Pakistani cricket. There are so many cases of Pakistani cricketers destroying not only their cricket careers but also messing up their lives these days (especially in 2008) that at some point PCB has to be held responsible for not mentoring the young men.
Posted by shams007007 on (November 04 2008, 10:25 AM GMT)I think this is not the question what he did is right or wrong. The question is that wether he could do right or wrong. Can he perfome in 20'20s? Can he slog? Can he feild, as it is now adays requierments of 20'20s? I think Yousuf should think about these things not that wether he will be banned or not. It is correct that he wasn't salected for canada, but It is also a fact that he is not capable of playing this format of game. so he should't be caught by money.