Pakistan will not hesitate to impose a life ban on its premier batsman Mohammad Yousuf if he joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL).
KARACHI: Pakistan will not hesitate to impose a life ban on its premier batsman Mohammad Yousuf if he joined the Indian Cricket League (ICL), a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official warned on Thursday.
The PCB official said on the condition of anonymity that Yousuf will be treated like the rest of the 'rebel' cricketers if he plays in ICL.
"We have banned all our cricketers, who joined the ICL and if Yousuf will also play for the unauthorized league then he will have to face the same punishment," the official said.
Yousuf, who is regarded among the world's best batsmen, is considering joining the ICL after it became clear that he doesn't feature in Pakistan's one-day and Twenty20 plans. Pakistan selectors consider Yousuf as a specialist Test batsman and are unlikely to consider him for national duty in next month's four-nation Twenty20 tournament in Canada.
Yousuf, however, believes that he can be equally useful in the shorter version of the game and feels insulted for being overlooked for Pakistan duty.
The Lahore-based player almost defected from the Pakistan ranks after being axed from the national team for the inaugural World Twenty20 Championship in South Africa last September. Then, he decided to join the ICL.
But even after signing a deal with the ICL, Yousuf made a u-turn and tried to sign up for the official Indian Premier League (IPL) with the help of the PCB. However, the ICL sued Yousuf over the change of heart and in the end he was unable to play in either league.
Sources said that Yousuf is now expecting an out of court settlement with the ICL and is ready to play for the league.
But the PCB official warned that Yousuf will have no future with Pakistan if he took such a step.
"Yousuf is still our best Test batsman and has a future with the Pakistan team but not if he joins the ICL. It will be game over for him if he joined the rebel league," he said.
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