It is the Paris Hilton of the sports pages, always creating a stir and making headlines. It is the Indian Cricket League (ICL).
On Monday, the ICL unveiled its plans at a central Mumbai hotel. Kapil Dev, chairman of the League’s Executive Board, led fellow members onto the stage, followed by the 44 Indian players on the roster — from promising youngsters like Abhishek Jhunjhunwala (Bengal) and Ambati Rayudu (Hyderabad) to experienced players like Dinesh Mongia (Punjab).
The ICL board also announced six international players, including Pakistan’s Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Farhat, Abdul Razzaq and Mohammad Yousuf and South Africans Lance Klusener and Nicky Boje. Brian Lara’s entry was announced last month.
Kapil Dev was his usual self — sometimes incoherent but always zesty, punctuating his statements with a clenched fist. He revealed it’s not all going to be Twenty20. And the players can, technically still play for India. “We will also have 50-over and three-day matches," Kapil said. “They are also free to play for India.”