The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has said it would fight back if the unofficial Twenty20 Indian Cricket League (ICL) went to court.
Rajkot (Gujarat), Aug 25 : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has said it would fight back if the unofficial Twenty20 Indian Cricket League (ICL) went to court.
The Indian Cricket League (ICL) has filed a petition against the BCCI in the Delhi High Court for interfering in its matters.
BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah refuted the League's charges.
"I have not heard of any case against the BCCI. If there is any case against the BCCI, our legal counsel will take care of it," Shah said on Friday.
Shah brushed off ICL charges saying the BCCI was trying to intimidate the players.
"We are not stopping anyone to play the game. But if someone wants to play a tournament which has not been authorised by the BCCI, then he cannot play with us again," Shah said.
The ICL has accused the BCCI of threatening and intimidating them as well as other state organsiations not affiliated to it. In its petition, it said that the BCCI should be stopped from interfering with the ICL's attempts to sign up players for its tournaments.
It further said that the BCCI should not use the name and flag of the country to convince the public that it represents the nation.
The ICL further claimed that the BCCI had prevented state cricket associations from offering their grounds to the new league. It had also withdrawn benefits, including pension from former and current cricketers associated with ICL.
The unofficial Twenty20 ICL is to be launched in October and has announced names of 50 players it has roped in.
The names include those of former Pakistan Captain Inzamam-ul Haq and South African all-rounder Lance Klusener.
The Pakistani trios of batsman Mohammad Yousuf, all-rounder Abdul Razzaq and batsman Imran Farhat plus retired South Africa spinner Nicky Boje have also joined the League.
The League, promoted by the Essel group, which owns the country's largest listed media firm Zee Telefilms, also named several former India players, including Dinesh Mongia, and domestic cricketers.
The boards of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka have threatened to ban players if they join the League, which was launched in May and plans to stage its inaugural tournament with a mix of foreign and domestic cricketers.
Among international stars, Klusener and Haq joined all-time great West Indies batsman Brian Lara in the League.
ANI