The Pakistan Cricket Board has vowed to provide all possible legal help to senior batsman Mohammad Yousuf after an Indian arbitration panel barred him from playing in next year's Indian Premier League.
"Legal experts will be consulted to finalise a strategy to help Yousuf," who initially signed up for the rebel Indian Cricket League, PCB's chief operating officer Shafqat Naghmi said.
The order of the arbitration panel came after Yousuf failed twice to attend its hearing. It ruled that the cricketer had violated terms of contract with the ICL by first signing with them and then ditching them for BCCI's IPL.
ICL claims Yousuf accepted a 25 per cent advance payment from them while signing the contract.
However, Yousuf claims he has returned the payment.
"It's a serious issue and we are now trying to find a legal solution to it. Yousuf says he had returned the signing fee and contract to ICL well in advance through ICL representative in Pakistan Moin Khan," another Board official said.
The prolific batsman, who reportedly accepted USD 330,000 from IPL, has meanwhile sought help from former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq.
Inzamam, currently on Haj, has promised to help in resolving the issue, a source said.
