ICL snub showed players are patriotic : PCB

Lahore, Aug 5 (UNI) Pakistan Cricket Board chief Nasim Ashraf hailed the cricketers for snubbing the lucrative offers to join the breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL), saying he had faith in them and it showed they were patriotic to their country.

''We had faith in our players that they will not join the Indian league,'' the PCB chairman told reporters.

''I am pleased to know players' sentiments and they proved they only want to play for Pakistan,'' he said.

Former captain Inzamam-ul Haq and at least seven top Pakistani cricketers were reportedly offered attractive deals by the Zee-promoted ICL.

Among the current lot, captain Shoaib Malik, Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Asif, Shahid Afridi, Younis Khan, Mohammad Yousuf and Abdul Razzaq were offered lucrative contracts to play the Twenty20 tournament to be held in India.

Any defections could have hit Pakistan cricket hard as league matches coincide with the important home series against South Africa in October with the all-important tour of India to follw a month later.

Mr Ashraf, however, said he was not too concerned about the offer. ''I was least bothered because I know my players and was sure that they would not join any league which is neither accepted by the Indian board nor by the ICC.'' However, the PCB had announced that contracted players who sign up would not be allowed to play for pakistan.

''Any player who decides to play in the Indian league would not be picked again for Pakistan. There are clauses in the central contracts, outlined in clear terms that the PCB will decide where the players can compete,'' Dr Ashraf had said.

Akhtar, Asif and Afridi were the first to turn down ICL offers, while Ashraf said Younis had also informed him that he had rejected an approach. ''Younis was made the offer in England where he is playing county cricket but he told the official who contacted him that he is happy playing for his employers Habib Bank and for Pakistan.'' ''The league is only signed by players who have either retired or are on the verge of retirement so we were not bothered,'' Mr Ashraf added.

UNI