Afridi wants Miandad to lift ban on ICL players

Pakistan allrounder Shahid Afridi wants former captain and current PCB director general Javed Miandad to fulfill his promise of lifting the domestic cricket ban on the players signed up with the Indian Cricket League.

On a talk show on Geo Super, Afridi said that before coming into the Board, Miandad had said he would like to see the ICL players free of the ban imposed on them by the Pakistan cricket board.

"I think now that Javed bhai is director-general in the board people are waiting to see what he does about the ICL players. They are waiting for him to fulfill his promise, "Afridi said.

The issue of allowing the ICL players to play in domestic cricket has gained momentum in recent days with the PCB
Chairman Ejaz Butt coming under fire for constantly stating that the Board was following ICC policy on not allowing ICL players to play domestic cricket.

Media reports had quoted Butt as saying that the PCB cannot clear the country's ICL rebels unless the ICC recognises the breakaway league.

Many former players have demanded to lift the ban and many of the departments with whom the cricketers are employed have also avoided terminating their employment despite the Board ban.

Many such players are even actively connected in different roles in the ongoing Quaid-e-Azam trophy tournament.
Interestingly, the PCB has also ignored the presence of former Test captain, Moin Khan as coach of the PIA team saying they didn't have a policy on officials associated with the ICL. Moin is currently the coach of the Lahore Badshah's team that won the ICL this season.

First Published: Jan 06, 2009 16:29 IST