Inzamam slams Pakistan U-turn on ICL players

Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq Friday lashed out at Pakistan for making a U-turn on selecting cricketers from an unrecognised Indian league and succumbing to "pressure." Pakistan selectors Monday named three rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) players - Abdul Razzaq, Rana Naved-ul Hasan and Imran Nazir - in a preliminary 30-man squad for the Twenty20 World Cup in England in June.

The selectors said the trio were included subject to clearance from the International Cricket Council (ICC).

But the next day, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) dropped the trio, saying they were not included in the 30-man list sent to the ICC.

The PCB has sought clarification from the ICL on the status of Pakistani players' contracts before taking a final decision on their inclusion.

Inzamam criticised the sudden about-turn.

"I think the PCB succumbed to the pressure from the ICC. If there were rules barring the PCB not to include the ICL players then why didn't our board know these rules," Inzamam told AFP. LAHORE, Pakistan, Friday, AFP