It is certainly a good move by the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) which on Friday lifted the ban on rebel players contracted with unauthorised India Cricket League (ICL) to play domestic cricket. The Board had received request from the players to allow them to play in the Premier League - a domestic tournament.
The board allowed five cricketers including former skipper Marvan Atapattu and all-rounder Russel Arnold to play in Sri Lankan domestic circuit. But the board didn't allow the players to play for the national team until and unless the International Cricket Council (ICC) gave its nod to ICL.
Earlier, the Lankan cricket board had banned all the five players who signed contract with ICL – an out of BCCI and ICC approval cricket league running parallel to sanctioned Indian Premier League (IPL).
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) media manager, Shane Fernando said in a statement that considering the expertise of those players which could benefit the younger lots in domestic clubs, the Interim Committee allowed them to play for their clubs. However, they can’t represent the country; it added upholding the ban for international tournaments.
This means banned players Atapattu, Arnold, Upul Chandana, Avishka Gunawardene and Saman Jayantha can now play with other Sri Lankan players beyond the league.
The statement came just a day after another subcontinent cricket playing nation Bangladesh banned 13 of its international players including former captain Habibur Bashar for joining the ICL. Bangladesh national team is now on the tip of a grave crisis with little cricketing talent.
It is to mention here that ICL Twenty20 competition is in direct competition with Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) which runs IPL with players from almost all cricket boards. BCCI has officially banned ‘rebel’ ICL players to take part in any national or domestic game, and even asked the other boards to do the same.
ICC is yet to give its approval to ICL. But from the part of BCCI, the wealthiest cricket board in the world, the firmness is still there blocking any positive move in this regard.
ICL officials have welcomed the move as a right direction, while ICC responded it as the decision of individual board.
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