BCCI Lifts Ban on ICL Players, Staffs and Officials

Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has decided to lift the ban on Indian Cricket League (ICL) players, staffs and officials. Recently, the board declared that those who are currently involved with ICL can come back to BCCI fold, if they can cut their ties with ICL by May 31, 2009. However, ICL players will not be readily considered for international selection. In fact, they have to play domestic cricket for a year before putting themselves in line for the international selection.

Shashank Manohar, the president of BCCI, has said that a number of players, staffs and officials have realized their mistake and are now interested to return to BCCI fold again and that is why, BCCI has decided to give them a chance. ICC rejected ICL’s appeal for official recognition last month, stating that any private tournament in any country must have the recognition of its domestic cricket board in order to become eligible for ICC recognition.

Well, I think, BCCI is showing an unprecedented dominance not only over Indian cricket but also over world cricket, using the large Indian market for India. ICL is a private tournament initiated by Essel Group in 2007 which successfully held a number of tournaments in India, but still failed to get BCCI or ICC recognition. Moreover, BCCI has put a bar on ICL players and officials to be involved in international cricket in India and forced other domestic boards to do the same with their ICL players. I do not know if a cricket board has the power to restrict somebody from domestic cricket which is similar to violating someone’s profession illegally.

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