Former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq on Thursday said he will decide soon whether to accept an offer to play in the Indian Cricket League against the wishes of the Pakistan Cricket Board, which no longer has a contract with him.
The Indian Cricket League has invited the wrath of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, which has asked other Test-playing nations not to permit their players to play in the breakaway Tewnty-20 tournament. The PCB has said that any of its cricketers participating in the inaugural event will be banned.
Inzamam wants to ensure that he does not invite conflict with the PCB by participating in the ICL, which has already secured the services of former West Indies batting great Brian Lara.
The veteran batsman feels if the PCB is not going to offer him a retainer contract he should be allowed to play in the ICL and not be penalised for it. By doing so, he said, he would remain available for Pakistan's home series against South Africa in October, a tour of India from November and then a home series against World champions Australia next year.
"It is understandable the board saying this about their players under a central contract, but they have not given me any contract, and it's an open market. If they are not selecting me I have a right to play cricket anywhere, whether in county cricket, Bangladesh, or India," Inzamam said on his official website, Bigstarcricket.com.
Inzamam is looking forward to score the 21 runs that will take him past Javed Miandad in the Test run-scoring charts and make him Pakistan's top scorer.
He has also expressed a desire to go on to scale the 10,000-run milestone in Test cricket. He retired from one-day internationals in March after Pakistan crashed out of the World Cup.
"I'm not only interested in money, I'm interested in playing cricket," Inzamam added.
"The ICL is offering me good money and cricket. I have not played any cricket for four months since the World Cup. Although I am still desperate to play for Pakistan, it is not good for me if I get picked for Test cricket with no match practice behind me. There is no cricket in Pakistan before the South Africa series so I need to play.
"I would like to go and play in India and then as soon as my country needs me I would come back for national duty. I hope things can work out because I am still desperate to play for my country, but I also need to play. I have to give a decision in two or three days. Inshallah, things will work out."
