NEW DELHI, Aug 27: The breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL) received a fillip on Monday when a court temporarily barred government institutions from sacking players aligned with the rebel circuit.

The Delhi High Court passed the interim order on a suit filed by the ICL, which said that public sector companies like Air India had threatened to expel ICL-linked players.

Judge Sanjay Kishan Kaul asked the official Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the federal government to submit their replies to the ICL suit before the next hearing on Oct 5.

“Why should players have swords hanging over their head?” Kaul asked. “The public corporations will not terminate the services or take action against its employees by reason of their seeking to affiliate themselves with the ICL.”

Most domestic cricket players in India work for public sector or private companies, with Air India, IndianOil and the Oil and the Natural Gas Commission (ONGC) being three of the major employers.

The interim order was welcomed by the ICL officials, with former international Madan Lal, who was hired as a coach by the rebel league, calling it a relief for the players.

The breakaway ICL – bankrolled by media baron Subhash Chandra, who owns India’s largest listed media company Zee Telefilms, plans to hold Twenty20 tournaments featuring city teams for the next three years.

The ICL officials said last week they had already signed up seven international stars and 44 Indian first-class cricketers, adding that more top players from around the world were expected to join.

The BCCI declined to recognise the ICL and ruled that any player aligning with the breakaway league will be barred from being selected for national teams.

The BCCI also sacked former Test captain and ICL chief executive Kapil Dev from the honorary post of chairman of the Bangalore-based National Cricket Academy (NCA).

The ICL has also pleaded with the court to direct the BCCI to let out cricket stadiums in the country for its matches. —AFP