Inzamam hopes for presidential intervention

Inzamam-ul-Haq, the former Pakistan captain who now plays for the ICL, is optimistic the country's president, Asif Ali Zardari, will help resolve the issue between the league's players and the PCB.

The Pakistan board, acting in accordance to the BCCI's wishes, banned all Pakistani players in the ICL from representing regional teams as well as the national side. But Inzamam said he met Pakistan's law minister Farooq Naek and told him the ICL contracts gave top priority to national duty and the league was willing to release a player if he was selected to play for the country.

"Mr Naek heard us out and even had a look at our contracts," Inzamam told the Hindustan Times. "Then the law minister had a word with Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari about our request. The president has said he will meet the ICL players and the board and try to sort the issue out. I am hoping for a positive result."

Inzamam said players like Imran Nazir and Abdul Razzaq could still play for Pakistan and there was no reason to ignore them just because they played for the ICL. The ICL's second season starts on Saturday with hosts Hyderabad Heroes taking on the Lahore Badshahs, led by Inzamam.