PCB releases players for SLPL

Lahore: The Pakistan Cricket Board has informed its Sri Lankan counterparts that all players signed up to play in the inaugural Sri Lankan Premier League next month have been given clearance to skip the training camp for the Australian tour to play in the league.

A board official, however, said that players picked in the Pakistan team for the Australian series would not be given permission to play in any T20 tournament during the Ramazan. "As far as the Sri Lankan Premier League is concerned we have given our clearance to the Sri Lankan board for our players," the official added. Shahid Afridi, Abdul Razzaq, Imran Nazir, Misbah-ul-Haq, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Akmal, Ahmed Shahzad, Younis Khan, Umar Gul are among the Pakistani players signed up to represent different franchises in the league that begins from August 10. The official said the permission had been given because of the exchange agreement between the two boards under which when PCB organises its premier league later this year the Sri Lankan board will also facilitate in releasing its players to play in the Pakistan Premier League. The Pakistani players picked in the national squad for the Australia series will not be available for the final stage of the SLPL due to national duty as the Australia series begins from August 28. Asked about applications filed by different private organisers including former Pakistan captain, Moin Khan to hold T20 Ramazan tournaments for which the board has said NOCs are required, the official said Moin had been given permission to hold his event but on the condition that players picked in the Pakistan squad would not be available. PTI