KARACHI, Feb 13: Pakistan cricket received a big jolt on Wednesday as three more players, including fast bowler Mohammad Sami, batsman Imran Nazir and off-spinner Arshad Khan reportedly signed for the rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL).

The latest signinigs brought the total number of Pakistanis in ICL to fifteen. Apart senior spinners Saqlain Mushtaq and Mushtaq Ahmed, the other players said to have joined forces with the ICL recently include Hasan Raza, Naved Latif, Humayun Farhat and Riaz Afridi.

They will join Inzamam-ul-Haq, Imran Farhat, Abdul Razzaq, Shabbir Ahmed, Taufiq Umar and Azhar Mahmood in the ICL.

The Pakistani cricket authorities had hoped the domestic ban would serve as a deterrent to players approached by the ICL but mre and more players are moving to the rebel league with each passing day.

Sources said the ICL has signed the 10 players as it plans to field a team from Pakistan in its second tournament in March-April.

Sami toured India recently while Nazir and Naved have recently played for Pakistan. Arshad toured India in 2005.

Former captain Moin Khan, who is an ICL representative in Pakistan, told he could not confirm or deny anything. “Our policy is simple if any new player is signed the announcement will come from the headquarters we are not supposed to make any announcements,” Moin said.

But he did confirm that the ICL had been in touch with some players for the last few weeks.

The PCB had banned the six players who played in the inaugural edition of the ICL last December and they are planning to appeal in court against the domestic ban.

The domestic ban affected Farhat, Umar, Shabbir and Razzaq who were active on the first class scene.

”We have to wait and see if these reports are true. But there is no doubt that we are facing a real threat from the ICL but if anything, I don’t think our policy on players joining the ICL is going to change,” a PCB official told.

One of the players, who did not wish to be named, said the decision for him to join the ICL was not difficult.

”The selectors and board have not been fair with me although I have performed consistently in domestic cricket. Secondly, I see no future for myself in the national team and thirdly, the money offered by ICL is very good and an insurance for the future,” he stated.

He also believed that, sooner or later, the PCB and other ICC member boards would have to soften their stance on the ICL. With the Indian Cricket League continuing to lure Pakistani cricketers, the national board on Wednesday said it would not change its policy of shunning the players joining the rebel Twenty20 tournament.

”The Board is doing everything to increase the financial rewards and incentives for the national and domestic players and we are also going to start our Premier League soon,” said senior PCB official Zakir Khan. “But if someone still wants to sign up for the ICL we have no problems but we will not change our policy,” he added.

Zakir pointed out that most of the players who had signed up for the ICL were in the twilight of their careers and their unavailability would not affect Pakistan cricket. “That is why we are now concentrating a lot on unearthing new talent,” he said.—Agencies