Indian league wants Inzamam - PakPassion

TalhaSyed

Inzamam courted by Indian league

Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has been approached to join the unofficial Indian Twenty20 league.

The competition, to begin later this year, is planned to be an annual event featuring Indian and foreign players.

Inzamam said: "I'm discussing the terms and conditions with them and if they're right I will certainly play."

Former West Indies captain Brian Lara has already signed up, while organisers say Australian pair Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath are set to join.

The competition has been organised by India's Essel Group, which controls Zee Telefilms, the country's largest media company, but India's cricket board has refused to endorse the league and warned of sanctions for home players involved in it.

Inzamam, though, has expressed his enthusiasm, saying: "The youngsters can only learn from playing alongside great players like Lara, Warne or McGrath."

The 37-year-old batsman retired from one-day internationals and relinquished the Pakistan captaincy following a disappointing World Cup, but has expressed his desire to continue playing Test cricket and reach 10,000 Test runs.

However, the Pakistan Cricket Board recently failed to offer him a central contract, which suggests his international career could be over.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cric...an/6921341.stm

Muzy

yeh i read this before, very interesting article, would be good to see inzi in action and would love to see the reaction of the PCB IF he does decide to do it and when they would wnt him available for the SA tour and he'l be 2busy else where - this would be a smack on the face for the PCB lot

Salman

A lot of big international players play county cricket and bow out gracefully, personally i would like to see him play English county instead of sweating it out for an Indian side if he decided to go that route.

Sheikh

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salman

A lot of big international players play county crickcet and bow out gracefully, personally i would like to see him play English county instead of sweating it out for an Indian side if he decided to go that route.

Well, he's already stated the desire to play county cricket but so far no counties have expressed an interest.

TalhaSyed

if PCB are gonna be fools and not let him back in the Pakistan test side i would be glad to see him play county cricket in england.

deviously~fading~away

Quote:

Originally Posted by TalhaSyed

if PCB are gonna be fools and not let him back in the Pakistan test side i would be glad to see him play county cricket in england.

Problem being that no county has shown any interest!

TalhaSyed

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shez

Problem being that no county has shown any interest!

oh ok...i didnt think that he was really taking english county seriously...i just thought that if he shows a clear intrest in playing....im sure plenty of teams will be lining up to have him.

Salman

Most of the top counties would have him hands down just to bring in the numbers through the gate, i remember Shoaib Akthar boosted the Nottingham season ticket sales up by 50% in that one season.

Sheikh

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salman

Most of the top counties would have him hands down just to bring in the numbers through the gate, i remember Shoaib Akthar boosted the Nottingham season ticket sales up by 50% in that one season.

Inzamam looks to county cricket to revive Test career

Cricinfo staff

June 29, 2007

Inzamam-ul-Haq, the former Pakistan captain, has expressed his interest in playing county cricket in a bid to regain his Test place.

"I have offers from league clubs in England but I want to play for a county to ascertain my form and fitness for a place in the Test team," Inzamam said. "I am training hard and am fit. I played a one-day match at the weekend and will continue my efforts to get into the Test side."

Pakistan selectors have said Inzamam will have to prove his fitness to get a place in the home series against South Africa in late September this year. However, there are no further domestic matches in Pakistan, meaning Inzamam is looking to England to gain match practice.

"I have been in touch with people," he said, "and if there is a place vacant in the county I would definitely like to go and play."

Inzamam, who retired from ODIs after Pakistan's disastrous World Cup and resigned from the Test captaincy, has never played for a county in a long and illustrious career. Although the Pakistan Cricket Board left him out from their list of centrally-contracted players, the country's chief selector Salahuddin Ahmed said "the doors of Test cricket are open for him".

Pakistan's one-day team are in Scotland for two one-dayers, against the hosts on Sunday at Edinburgh before facing India in Glasgow next Tuesday.

© Cricinfo

As you can see, he's directly expressed an interest to play county cricket but no counties have taken him up on the offer. So, Im assuming that the top counties probably aren't that willing to sign him up. That is somewhat understandable considering that its pretty late into the season and signing him in the beginning of the season would make more sense.

Oxy

Inzi is simply too old to be going through the English county set up. Its unforgivving in terms of the 6 day a week aspect to the games, non-stop travelling on motorways etc.

I'd like to have seen it - but its not going to happen. Plus its been the worst county season for years - throw in the crap weather, and no County is in the mood to spend on an ageing batsman.

TalhaSyed

well i guess its prety obvious that if inzi is gna play english county cricket its gna be next season. if he gets into sussex and mushy qualifies to play as a home player, that would be awesome. rana, saqi, musy and inzi all in one team.

Umta

Inzamam-ul-Haq, the former Pakistan captain, is the latest international star to have been approached by the Indian Cricket League (ICL).

Inzamam, who announced his retirement from one-day cricket after Pakistan's failed World Cup campaign, confirmed that ICL officials had contacted him.

"They have been in touch with me and I am considering their offer," Inzamam said. "If the terms are right, I will play."

The parallel league has stirred the cricket world, evoking visions of a Kerry Packer-style circuit. The players it has targeted so far, however, are those who have retired from international cricket in one form or another. Brian Lara has already signed on, while Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Stephen Fleming have also expressed an interest.

The PCB announced recently that centrally contracted players would be unable to join the league but kept the door open for ex-internationals or players not contracted.

Inzamam said he believed the league would ultimately benefit Indian cricket itself. "What harm is there if it means that more people will watch cricket, come to the grounds and watch stars in action? It furthers the profile of cricket."

Inzamam did acknowledge that ultimately the choice will come down to financial benefits to the player. "Players who are out of favour, or not international cricketers, or who are nearing the end of their careers will rightly see this as an opportunity to benefit financially and I don't see anything wrong with that.

"For younger players too, there are rewards. Playing alongside players such as Lara or McGrath can only be a good thing for your development as a young player."

Inzamam's own international future is currently uncertain. Though he has left one-day cricket, he wants to carry on playing Test cricket "for as long as I feel I am performing."

Noises coming from the board in recent months suggest Inzamam may not be a part of Pakistan's next Test squad against South Africa but the selectors have publicly said he will be called to the probables camp for the series in September and October.

Inzamam is currently Pakistan's second-highest run-scorer in Tests, just 19 runs behind Javed Miandad and he plans to fight for his place. "I want to pass 10,000 Test runs and I believe I am capable of doing that, given the opportunity."

He has limited opportunities to prove his form and fitness to selectors, however. Pakistan's domestic season is not due to start till December. Reports linked him to some county sides earlier in the season but those plans have fallen through. Until the season starts, Inzamam will play club cricket for Lahore Gymkhana.