Pakistan's former Test opener Imran Farhat has refuted speculation that all Pakistani players in the ICL wanted to end their contracts with the rebel League and play for their country again as the future of the ICL was bleak.
Pakistan's former Test opener Imran Farhat has refuted speculation that all Pakistani players in the ICL wanted to end their contracts with the rebel League and play for their country again as the future of the ICL was bleak.
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He also dismissed suggestions that he and other players had given in writing to the Pakistan Cricket Board they would cancel their ICL contracts if reconsidered for selection.
"I think there is some misunderstanding. I have given no undertaking to the Board that I will cancel my ICL contract if they select me for Pakistan," Farhat said on the Geo super channel talk show.
"It is also wrong to say that the ICL is being wound up and that they have already cancelled our contracts that is why some of the players now are offering to play for Pakistan again," he said.
Farhat made it clear so far the ICL had not informed him or most of the other players of any plans to cancel their contracts and the players were waiting for the next tournament which was until now scheduled in November.
But Farhat and another ICL player, Test batsman Hasan Raza, said on the show their priority was to always play for Pakistan and if the Board selected them they would rethink their future options.
"As it is the ICL contract never prevented us from playing for our country even during the League if we were required for national duty," Hasan said and added "it is the Board's decision to ban us and this only hurt Pakistan.
"Both said they were not aware of the reasons behind Mohammad Yousuf or Abdul Razzaq telling the Board to select them in national squad and they were willing to end their ICL contracts.
"Only they can answer that. But as far as we are concerned we got a chance to play in the ICL at a time when despite consistent performances the national selectors and the Board were ignoring us.
"Cricket is our bread and butter and the ICL took good care of us financially," Farhat said. Farhat said the players were not worried about not getting any payments from the ICL for some months.
"They are good paymasters and have taken good care of us. A few months' delay here and there is no issue we know eventually we will have our dues cleared," Farhat said.
Interestingly, PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt insisted yesterday that the ICL players would have to first end their contracts and submit NOC's before they can be considered for national selection again.
The ICL has the largest number of signings from Pakistan with the Lahore Badshahs team led by former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq, the star attraction in the tournament.
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