Sri Lankan Premier League to go ahead without India

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Cricket will push ahead with its inaugural premier league with Australian and Pakistani players, despite a no-show by Indian stars, the island's sports minister said Sunday.

"We will lose a bit of money because Indian players are not coming but the tournament will be played as planned," Mahindananda Aluthgamage said after failed talks to bring the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on board.

Fast bowlers Praveen Kumar and Munaf Patel were among 12 Indian players who were blocked by the BCCI from playing in the T20 tournament in Sri Lanka from July 19 to August 4.

PCB may stop Afridi from playing in SLPL

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has said it can ban Shahid Afridi from participating in the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) if the former Pakistan captain doesn't stop his rants against the board. 

Earlier this month, the PCB granted Afridi a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to play for Hamp shire in English Twenty20 league after their bitter dispute was settled out of court.

But Afridi's continued tirade has irked the PCB and some top officials are not in favour of granting him an NOC to play in SLPL to be held in Colombo during July-August.

Quoting an unnamed PCB official, Express Tribune reported on Thursday that the Board will not hesitate in taking action against Afridi in case of 'foul play'.

Afridi, after a long stand-off with the PCB that also involved a legal battle, finally left for England to play for Hampshire after getting his NOC back.

Sri Lanka Cricket rejects BCCI claim of Lanka Premier League being a private tournament

 Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) has rejected the Board of Control for Cricket in India's claim that the Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) is a private-party organised tournament.

In a statement, the SLC said that the SLPL is owned and approved by it, and therefore, automatically by the International Cricket Council (ICC).

It further said that the Singapore-based Somerset Ventures only owns the commercial rights to the tournament.

The SLC rejoinder came a day after the BCCI had said it would not allow any Indian player to participate in the tournament on grounds that it was a privately-run event.

"This tournament is approved by SLC. And Somerset are the marketing arm, having won the rights through a tender process. Nobody can say it is owned by Somerset," ESPNcricinfo quoted SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga, as saying on Sunday.

Akhtar pulls out of Sri Lanka League, says he has had enough

Former Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar Thursday pulled out of the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) citing personal reasons, and said he does not want play the game any more.

Akhtar, who retired from international cricket after Pakistan's loss to India in the World Cup semifinals, said he has had enough of the game and wants to explore the other side of life.

'My parents are old and I want to spend time with them,' he was quoted as saying by ESPNcricinfo.

'I also don't want to play or want to be on the ground any more. I am not even coming back for a job in cricket or anything, but if some youngster needs my help I will visit from time to time to help them but no more of this game.'

'I want to explore other parts of the world now. I played this game for 18 years and I don't want to spend another 18 years in that scenario any more. I am going to be involved in charity work from now on.'

The Rawalpindi Express as he was called was roped in for SLPL along with other international players such as his compatriot Shahid Afridi, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Herschelle Gibbs, Daniel Vettori and Kevin O'Brien.

The T20 event will take place between July 19 and August 4 in the island-nation.

No Indians for Lanka’s T20 league

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) won't allow Indians to play in next month’s Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL) T20 championship. And the board insists it has nothing to do with protecting its cash-rich IPL’s brand value. The decision, it claims, has been taken to protect players! < 

Cricketers from Pakistan, West Indies, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand are expected to play in the inaugural Twenty20 Lankan league.

“Unlike in the IPL where the players are contracted by the BCCI, the SLPL is offering contracts with the event management company,” said a BCCI official, who didn’t wish to be named given the sensitivity of the issue. “If there is any goof-up, Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) cannot be held accountable. The board would not like to take any chances.” 

The official said the move had nothing to do with Lanka creating problems about the availability of players during IPL 4.

The decision, taken on Saturday, was conveyed to SLC, which convened an emergency meeting. Secretary Nishantha Ranatunga was unavailable for comments.

“Anyway 32 of our main players will be on international duty,” another BCCI official told HT. Sixteen will be touring England, others will be busy with the emerging players tournament in Australia. SLPL begins on July 19 and doesn’t clash with any domestic tournament in India.