March 19, 2008	Wednesday	Rabi-ul-Awwal 10, 1429

KARACHI, March 18: Pakistan’s cricket authorities will decide this week on a policy to govern players who have signed up for the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Shafqat Naghmi, Pakistan Cricket Board’s (PCB) Chief Operating Officer, said guidelines need to be set out for the players when their IPL schedule clashes with the national team’s commitments. The 44-day IPL tournament starts on April 18.

“The governing body will decide on a clear policy but obviously we believe the players need to give preference to national commitments,” Naghmi told reporters on Tuesday.

Following the cancellation of Australia’s tour to Pakistan this month due to security concerns, the PCB invited Bangladesh to play five One-day Internationals and a Twenty20, set tentatively from April 6.

They are also waiting for a response from the Sri Lankans about contesting some one-dayers in late April.

A dozen players including Pakistan captain, Shoaib Malik and fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar have signed up to play in the lucrative IPL while 16 players are also appearing in the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL) tournament.

The West Indies are also facing problems because captain Chris Gayle and batsmen Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan could be unavailable for the first two Tests against Australia in late May and June because of their IPL commitments.

While adopting a liberal policy towards the IPL, which is bankrolled by the Indian cricket board, the PCB has banned the players who have signed up for the ICL.—Reuters