Rediff

Karachi, Sep 27: The Indian Cricket League suffered a major setback even before its take-off when Pakistan run-machine Mohammad Yousuf  broke ranks and signed a central contract with his cricket board in Karachi on Thursday.

Yousuf and Nasim Ashraf, chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, told a joint-press conference that the senior batsman agreed to play in the Test series against South Africa.

"There was a misunderstanding and nothing else. I had a positive discussion with Yousuf and he is keen to play for his country. He will now not be playing for the ICL and is available for Pakistan," Ashraf said.

Asked about possible repercussions emanating from his decision after signing the ICL contract, Yousuf said he is not aware of any clause that said he had to give top priority to ICL even if Pakistan is playing international cricket.

"I don't know about this clause nor of any possible penalties," he said.

Ashraf said the Board will now handle the issue and Yousuf is free to concentrate on his Pakistan duties.

"He is the backbone of our batting and he will be joining the Pakistan team on Saturday and play in the first Test from Monday," Ashraf added.

Yousuf, a veteran of 75 Tests and 242 one-dayers, made a record-breaking 1,788 runs in 11 Tests, inclusive of nine hundreds in 2006. But he was dropped by the selectors for the Twenty20 World Cup last month, a decision that led to his signing with the ICL.

Former captain Inzamam-ul Haq, Imran Farhat and Abdul Razzaq are the other players who joined the ICL with Yousuf.

Yousuf said it is always an honour for him to play for country and he was relieved to be back for Pakistan.

Ashraf said the Board had not thought about talking to other three players on them cancelling their contracts.

Yousuf, by signing the PCB contract in category A, will immediately get a bonus amount of US $100,000 and sources said the PCB also agreed to pay him another bonus sum and take care of any penalties he might have to pay if the ICL decides to make an issue of his terminating the contract.

Yousuf had said earlier this week he would reveal details of why he joined the ICL after meeting with the PCB chief but at the news conference he insisted it was all a misunderstanding.

However, sources said Yousuf had complained to the chairman about not being treated properly by the selectors and some players and also over the fact that he was even ignored for the vice-captaincy despite his spotless record in the team.