Eight Pakistan cricketers sign central contracts

Lahore, Aug 4 (UNI) Eight out of 20 Pakistani cricketers, including Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi, signed six-month central contracts offered by the PCB here.

The remaining 12 are expected to sign them over the next few days.

The signings quashed growing rumours that several leading players, including the likes of Afridi and Shoaib, might join the breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL).

Shoaib was the first to commit to Pakistan.

PCB Chairman Nasam Ashraf has warned that contracted cricketers would not be considered for the national team even as he played down the impression that the ICL ban was not to appease the BCCI, saying it was for the best interests of the game in Pakistan.

A clause in the new contracts clearly states that permission must be sought from the board when opting to play in a professional league. Seven current players were reported to have been approached by the league.

''Shoaib was the first to sign the contract. Seven others including Shoaib Malik, Umar Gul and Salman Butt also signed them,'' Ahsan Malik, director communications and marketing, PCB, told Cricinfo.

Yesterday, the PCB held a meeting with the players where it explained in detail several aspects of the contracts and gave players the chance to raise any queries or objections.

''We told the players to look over the contracts over the next three or four days but a few signed them immediately. The others will look over it in the next three to four days,'' said Malik.

Twenty players have been offered contracts in all, which will last till the end of this year. From January onwards, the players will receive year-long contracts.

UNI