KARACHI, Sept 22: Former Pakistan captains Inzamam-ul-Haq, Moin Khan and Rashid Latif have called on the PCB to take a cue from Sri Lanka Cricket and lift the ban imposed on players who have aligned with the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL).

Inzamam and Moin, who themselves play in the rebel ICL, said the SLC’s bold step showed that Pakistan can also take an independent decision on its ICL contracted players.

“Pakistan needs to stop doing what India wants. Cricket is the bread and butter of the banned players and they have committed no crime by opting to play in the ICL which is now growing and is an alternate for players,” Inzamam said.

“Sri Lanka has set a bold and fair precedent. English counties have stuck to their principles by allowing the ICL players and I think very soon the ICC will also have to rethink its policy on the ICL,” he added.

Moin made it clear that the players banned by boards had not entirely ruled out legal action against the authorities. “It is an option available to us because we are confident if things go to court many people will be uncomfortable,” he said.

Another former captain Rashid Latif said the ban on ICL players was unjustified. “I don’t think the IPL can continue calling the shots for long now. Something has to give way after the bold stand taken by Sri Lanka and the English players,” Latif said.

Many in the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) also believe that Sri Lanka Cricket President Arjuna Ranatunga has sent out a message to the Indian Premier League (IPL) by lifting the domestic ban on his country’s players signed up with the ICL.

“It is obvious that Ranatunga, who is a powerful and influential figure in Sri Lankan cricket and politics, is not happy with the way IPL has started to influence the cricket playing nations and their international cricket commitments,” an official in the BCCI said.

“It is no secret that Sri Lankan cricket officials are unhappy that their players are not willing to make a Test tour of England to play in the IPL,” the official, who didn’t want to be named, said.

The Sri Lankan players have taken their case to the President of the country as they say they can’t tour England as it clashes with their prior commitments with the private IPL.

Ranatunga wants them to give priority to playing for their national team as the unscheduled tour would ensure finances for the Sri Lankan Board.

Another official said it is no secret that some countries are uncomfortable with the growing influence of the IPL specially the way IPL chief Lalit Modi is trying to dictate to other countries and their Boards because of the money involved in the IPL.

The Sri Lankan authorities recently decided to lift a domestic ban on five of their leading players who defected to the ICL including former captain Marvan Atapattu and leading all-rounders Russell Arnold and Upul Chandana.—Agencies