Pakistan Cricket Board was quick to slap a ban on 11 Pakistani players who aligned themselves with the unofficial Indian Cricket League. But following a Sind High Court (SHC) verdict, the board has now lifted the ban. This allows some key Pakistan cricketers return to upcoming domestic cricket in a big way, despite the fact that final hearing of the case was yet to take place on February 25th following which the order will be formally circulated on to the various departments involved.

The PCB lawyer, Shan Gul reportedly made it clear that Butt headed board is different from the previous one and maintains that 'The present board does not support the manner in which the ban was imposed by the previous administration,' puts it. But in Cricket360’s opinion it is more the pressure from different blocks, than the sense of ethics that has forced this new PCB management to hold a view different from that of their predecessor. Following the ban, the top Pakistani players including Pakistan’s number one batsmen, Mohammad Yousuf had to stay out of both domestic and international cricket and this is clearly what the Pakistan team can hardly afford.

However, so far as international cricket commitments of his players are concerned, Mr. Butt made it clear that ICC has the sole privilege to decide on that matter. “We have allowed them to play domestic cricket but only the ICC can decide on lifting the international cricket ban on the Indian Cricket league players.” In the news conference on Wednesday, Butt also hinted on the rethinking about Javed Miandad’s reinstating as the Board’s Director General.

PCB made it clear that they are in no hurry to take any decision with regard to the international cricket career of its players. Instead it would slip into a wait and watch mode until the talks between ICC, ICL and BCCI are over on the issue of granting official recognition to this rebel league or until the trio works out another solution. However, ICC has reportedly toughened its regulations relating to the rights of the Boards of all the countries with regard to the allowing of domestic tournaments or matches within their countries. These new regulations will come into effect from this June. We have to wait till then to see whether international cricket gets back some of its fine cricketers.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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