The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has reiterated its stance on the breakaway players that they won't play for the country if they sign for the Indian Cricket League (ICL).

 

Pakistan's Nation newspaper Tuesday quoted PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi as saying that the board would be unable to take any action unless they had confirmation about who had joined the ICL or signed a deal.

 

However, he reacted strongly to the reports that four of the Pakistan players had joined the ICL.

 

"The players, who have signed with the ICL, will not be considered for selection in the national team and instead they would be facing lifetime ban," he said.

 

PCB Operations Director Zakir Khan and Marketing Director Dr Ahsan Hameed were also present during the media talks.

 

Naghmi further stated that if there was a need of formulating a policy in this regard, the board would present the case before the ad-hoc committee. He further said that he had directed the board to reply to Imran Farhat's allegations.

 

Farhat alleged that he was forced to sign the central contract without being provided the details of the deal.

 

"If someone does not want to stay with us, we won't force him. PCB's policy on every matter is clear," Naghmi said.

 

He also gave examples of Shane Warne, Stephen Fleming and Sachin Tendulkar for the same reason.

 

He further stated that the board had invested on players and their playing for some other organization was not acceptable.

 

"I hope Mohammad Yousuf will prefer his country which requires him the most," said he.

 

Mohammad Yousuf when contacted confirmed his signing.

 

"Yes I have signed for league cricket in India," he said.

 

The 32-year-old batsman, who set a new world record of 1,788 runs in a calendar year in 2006, was omitted from Pakistan's squad for next month's inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.

 

But he said the signing had nothing to do with his omission from the team.

 

"So many Pakistani players play county cricket in England and skip national duties so what if I am playing for the Indian league.It is not due to my omission," said Yousuf, regarded as the world's top batsman.

 

On Monday, the PCB selection committee announced 27 players who will attend a Pakistan A team training camp commencing from Aug. 28 in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahore at the National Cricket Academy.

 

A spokesman for the PCB told the Daily Times newspaper that after conclusion of the camp on September 2, the Pakistan A squad would be named.

 

(Xinhua News Agency August 21, 2007)