Butt still clueless about ICL rebels status

KARACHI: Ijaz Butt on Monday gave yet another proof of how unaware he is about key Pakistan cricket issue when he said that the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) cannot clear the country"s Indian Cricket League (ICL) rebels unless the International Cricket Council (ICC) recognises the breakaway league.

The PCB chairman, it seems, genuinely believes that all players associated with the ICL are banned by the ICC the game"s governing body in the world. Ask ICC officials and they will tell you a different story.

When asked to comment on Butt"s remarks about the ICL, ICC spokesman Brian Murgatroyd said that there must be a misunderstanding over the ICL issue. "The ICC hasn"t banned the ICL or its players. It"s the relevant boards that have done it," he said. Butt, who is yet to prove himself as an able PCB chief, had commented that the PCB cannot lift the ban on the country"s ICL rebels unless the ICC sanctions the unofficial league.

Pakistan have banned 20 of their leading players including premier batsman Mohammad Yousuf, former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, openers Imran Farhat, Imran Nazir, pacers Mohammad Sami, Rana Naved-ul-Hassan and all-rounder Azhar Mahmood for their association with ICL.

The players have been demanding the right to play for the national team as well as in domestic first-class competitions but so far the PCB has been rigid in its approach towards them. In a recent interview, former Pakistan all-rounder Abdul Razzaq alleged that the PCB is maintaining a ban on the ICL players just to please the "powerful Indian cricket board (BCCI)".

About the official Indian Premier League (IPL), Butt said that the PCB is yet to take a decision on whether to send Pakistan"s players to feature in the cash-rich spectacle. Pakistan and India have suspended bilateral sporting ties because of strained relations between the two governments over November"s terror attacks in Mumbai.

Speaking on the home series against Sri Lanka, Butt said that the proposed series is on and the event"s itinerary will be finalised by the two boards soon. There have been fears that Sri Lanka could be having second thoughts about touring Pakistan as they want to play against India.

However, its cricket chief Duleep Mendis, has ruled out the impression that Sri Lanka, together with India, is ignoring Pakistan to ensure a series with India. Mendis said it might take a few more days to finalise the schedule, because Sri Lankan cricket officials are considering other options.

He confirmed that Sri Lanka and India are negotiating a one-day series between the two countries in the third week of February. Sri Lanka are planning to host at home five-ODI series against India after splitting their proposed tour of Pakistan.

Under the plan, Sri Lanka will visit Pakistan for the limited-overs leg of their tour later this month, return home for India"s visit and head back to Pakistan to play three Tests. Our correspondent adds from Islamabad: PCB has extended Shoaib Malik"s captaincy stint for an indefinite period with Ijaz Butt saying he "is the best available choice".

"Look at his (Malik"s) performance as a captain. He has so far proved to be an excellent captain and there is no reason why he should not continue," Butt told reporters on Monday.

Shoaib"s tenure as Pakistan captain ended on December 31, 2008.

Meanwhile, to a question on the series against Australia, Butt said PCB would like the series to be held in Pakistan. "Since the series had been postponed only because it would be held in Pakistan in March-April, we would definitely want to play the series here."

Cricket Australia on Sunday reiterated that they want to play the series in Pakistan. "I am leaving for Australia at the end of this month and would be meeting CA officials there. Our first priority definitely would be to play the series against Australian at home. We would also discuss the option of playing the series at a neutral venue. However, we would like to look into different proposals," he said.

The PCB chairman said he wanted a clear stance from the CA on the future of the series. "In case of the series being played at the neutral place we would definitely want to know as where it would be played so that we could start preparing for the series," he said.

He said it was not easy to hold the series at neutral place at the eleventh hour. "You need to complete different formalities and for that you need time and space for arrangements," he said.