Yousuf to face arbitration hearing on Dec 15

New Delhi, Nov 30 (UNI) Pakistan's batting mainstay Mohammad Yousuf is all set to face an arbitration hearing in Mumbai on December 15 following his last minute U-turn from the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL).

The 33-year-old right-hander had earlier signed with the private league in the wake of his omission from Pakistan's Twenty20 World Cup team. He also cancelled his central contract after talks with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).

But recently in a dramatic development, Yousuf pulled out of the ICL and had joined the BCCI-backed Indian Premier League (IPL). However, the organisers of the ICL say that the 2007 ICC Test Player of the Year cannot join the next-year slated IPL.

''It's an open and shut case as far as we're concerned. The contract clearly says he can't play in any other professional league,'' Ashish Kaul, the executive vice-president of the Essel Group told Cricinfo.

Interestingly, the PCB, has extended full support to Yousuf and said that he just needs to concentrate on his game as all legal matters would be looked after by the board.

''We will fully defend Yousuf, if he is taken to court using all legal means,'' PCB chief Nasim Ashraf earlier said.

Apart from Yousuf, ICL's all other Pakistani recruits, including former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, Abdur Razzaq, Azhar Mahmood, Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, and Shabbir Ahmed have decided to honour their commitments.

UNI