New Delhi: The Indian Cricket League (ICL) Wednesday received a shot in the arm with eight Pakistani players, including Mohammed Sami and Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, joining the Essel Group-backed venture.
Apart from Sami and Naved, Mushtaq Ahmed, Humayun Farhat, Shahid Nazir, Hasan Raza, Imran Nazir and Riaz Afridi also joined the rebel league which already boasts of names like Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Chris Cairns and Craig McMillan.
“We are extremely pleased to welcome these players to the ICL family,” chairman of the ICL executive board Kapil Dev said. Though there was no official confirmation about spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and Arshad Khan, the PCB sources said the duo have already signed contracts with the ICL.
Afridi for Glamorgan
Karachi: Shahid Afridi has said he is ready to consider a good short-term offer to play for Glamorgan in the county championship but would not sacrifice any assignment for Pakistan. Glamorgan have shown interest in signing on Afridi for their Twenty20 and one-day assignments but are waiting for the PCB to announce a clear cut policy on allowing its players to turn out for English counties.
Afridi said he was ready for a short term deal with Glamorgan provided it did not clash with the planned Asia Cup to be held in Pakistan in June.
Peterson in
Durban: Left-arm spinner Robin Peterson will replace Paul Harris in the South African squad to tour Bangladesh, Cricket South Africa (CSA) said Wednesday. A CSA statement said Harris would miss the tour because of an abscess that required surgery.
“Robbie has shown excellent form in the (first-class) Supersport Series,” selection chief Joubert Strydom said in the statement. “He was the leading wicket-taker among South African spin bowlers with 24 wickets.”
Peterson’s call-up brings the number of black players in the 14-man squad to five. South Africa will play two Tests and three ODIs in Bangladesh.
Asia Cup
Mumbai: The probables for the Asia Cup for women was announced by the national selection committee of the BCCI here Wednesday. The committee comprised of former cricketers Vrunda Bhagat, Anju Jain, Mithu Mukherjee, Sandhya Agarwal and Purnima Rao.
The probables
Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Jaya Sharma, Karuna Jain, Rumeli Dhar, Amita Sharma, Devika Palshikar, Trushkamini M.D., Priti Dimri, Neetu David, Seema Pujare, Snehal Pradhan, Priyanka Roy, Anagha Deshpande, Asha Rawat, Gouhar Sultana, Pallavi Bharadwaj, Sulakshana Naik, Swaroopa Kadam, Anureet Kaur, Niranjana N and Poonam Raut.
Moving court
New Delhi: India’s only World Cup-winning captain Kapil Dev has moved the Delhi High Court against a BCCI decision to stop his pension. The BCCI has done that to punish Kapil for forming the breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL), which is funded by Zee.
