Indian Cricket League (Florida) - ICL (India) News
The first news and information website on Indian Cricket League
The ICL (India) is a private cricket league that runs parallel to the existing cricket league managed by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). The format of ICL is Twenty20. Indian Cricket League is a service mark of PayAutoMata, Florida. This website,
http://www.indian-cricket-league.com/, (Created on: 03-Apr-2007) is in no way affiliated with or is the property of Zee's ICL (India) or Indian Cricket League (Florida). This site is part of the Cricket Circle information and news network.
Mohammad Yousuf is likely to return to the Pakistan National team after cancelling a contract with the Indian Cricket League (ICL), a top Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official said on Thursday.
"I had a fruitful meeting with Yousuf on Thursday and he has signed a central contract with the PCB after agreeing not to play in the ICL," the PCB Chairman, Nasim Ashraf, told reporters in Lahore.
Meanwhile, Ashish Kaul, Executive Vice-President, Essel Group, which bankrolls the ICL, said there was no reason to believe that Yousuf had turned his back on ICL and insisted he would turn up for the league.
"As per the contract between him and us, he would play for ICL," he said.
ICL postponed until mid-November
Sept 23, 2007
The rebel Indian Twenty20 league due to start next month has been delayed until November because of 'teething problems'. Kapil Dev, the legendary Indian all-rounder who spearheads the ICL, said the tournament would now start when more international cricketers are available. But he ruled out ICL approaching Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly for the time being but hinted that the trio could be offered a deal later.
The former world cup winning skipper and ICL Executive Board chairman however denied that money had anything to do with the postponement. He said ICL is unfazed by Indian Premier League (IPL)'s launch and was not worried about its players being lured by the BCCI-backed league. He added that the BCCI's decision to launch the IPL was nothing short of giving official status to the ICL.
Gavaskar's son joins breakaway Indian Cricket league
Sept 13, 2007
The son of legendary former India captain Sunil Gavaskar joined an unofficial multi-million-dollar breakaway league as a battle hots up with cricket authorities.
Rohan Gavaskar, who figured in 11 one-day internationals, was the latest player to join the Indian Cricket League (ICL), bankrolled by media baron Subhash Chandra who owns India's largest-listed media company Zee Telefilms.
"I signed the papers recently. The main reason is it would give me a chance to compete with international players again," the 31-year-old told The Telegraph on Wednesday.
"Obviously I spoke to dad. Like always he made me aware of the pros and cons and told me the decision was mine."
Kapil, More deny Shoaib joining ICL
Sept 13, 2007
ICL chairman and former Indian all-rounder Kapil dev and former Indian wicketkeeper Kiran More, another senior ICL functionary, on Wednesday denied that Pakistan speedster Shoaib Akhtar had ever been approached to join ICL.
Addressing a press conference after his first interaction with the ICL players, who are undergoing a camp here, Kapil said, ''There had been a lot of speculation in the media that Shoaib had been invited. But, we are not part of it.''
They said time was not ripe, as yet, to invite Shoaib to join the ICL. ''He has not been invited. It is not the time to sign him up", they added.
Kapil recalled that there had been reports in the media that Shoaib would cross over to ICL, after falling out with the Pakistan Cricket Board.
Shoaib, himself, had said he was not playing cricket only for money, he added.
Pakistan cricket club invites ICL to play matches
Sept 7, 2007
A local cricket club has invited the unofficial Indian Cricket League to organise its matches in Pakistan and Kapil Dev, the Chairman of ICL Executive Board, promised to consider the proposal.
Arif Abbasi, a former senior official of the Pakistan Cricket Board, who is now Chief Executive of prestigious Arabian Country Club in Karachi, has sent an invitation to Kapil offering to provide his ground for the league matches.
"Definitely, we would look at taking our league matches to not only Pakistan but even Sharjah, Dubai or Abu Dhabi," Kapil spoke on telephone at a seminar organised on the ICL at the Karachi Arts Council yesterday.
"After all our main aim is to promote cricket and to give young Indian players the opportunity to shine on a big platform," he added.
Kapil, former Indian captain and legendary all-rounder, was firm that the League would be held on schedule despite all opposition to it from the Indian cricket establishment.
Kapil also told the audience that the ICL was not formed to challenge the authority of the Indian Cricket Board or the establishment and he saw nothing wrong in any venture which promoted the sport and young players.
Zee launches ambitious $232mn Indian Cricket League
April 02, 2007
In a move effectively challenging the Indian cricket board's national tournaments, Zee Group Tuesday announced the launch of an ambitious Indian Cricket League (ICL) with a corpus fund of Rs 1 billion ($232.26 million) and a promise to field many international players.
Stung by the announcement and in order to stop speculation, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) quickly issued a statement that its president Sharad Pawar has received a letter, but said no more.
The announcement came as a surprise also because Zee owns the BCCI rights for overseas international cricket. Zee won the five-year rights for $219.15 million.
"A professional league is the need of the hour as is the killer instinct in the players. We will try to do it as early as possible -- maybe in July," said Zee group chairman Subhash Chandra at a press conference here.
Chandra sounded extremely confident of getting the BCCI approval for ICL, whose winner would receive $1 million - the highest prize money ever announced for a cricket tournament in the country.
"It is not in conflict with the BCCI, but is complimentary to it. We have sent a proposal to the BCCI and I don't think they will reject it. I even don't want to assume that BCCI will reject it," he said.
BCCI, which has already called a working committee meeting in Mumbai Saturday to discuss the World Cup debacle, will perhaps have to add another item to its agenda.
The board statement said: "BCCI president Sharad Pawar has received a letter from Mr. Subhash Chandra, Zee Television, seeking permission to start the Indian Cricket League. An appropriate decision in this matter will be taken by the board."
The ambitious league, if allowed by the BCCI, threatens to do what late Australian millionaire Kerry Packer did almost three decades ago when he hired the world's top players for his own World Series Cricket following his fight for television rights with the Australian board. Chandra said that the current Indian team players along with those from other countries would be seen in action in the league. He said the ICL would be an annual feature. All the matches will be telecast on Zee Sports.
Zee also plans to set-up residential academies equipped with state-of-the-art facilities across the country.
Sports medicine would be introduced to ensure top fitness of players and a full-fledged record of their behavioural pattern, diet-plan and game statistics would be maintained. The group will also appoint talent scouts in all 35 states to hunt for young players to play in the league. "We have expertise in talent-search in the entertainment field, we will use that same expertise to unearth cricketing talent in India," Chandra said. He said each team would have a coach, physiotherapist, and psychologist. The league will have a professional media manager, and an ombudsman to resolve issues that may be raised by the public, or even by the players.
"A professional league is the need of the hour as is the killer instinct in the players. Budding talent must be groomed at the grass-roots level and given the experience to play on competitive pitches and not on placid tracks."
Chandra, however, declined to disclose the names of the players likely to take part. "There are a few big names which we don't want to disclose now." He added that other companies are invited to launch their own clubs or teams and can take part in the league. "We would love participation from other companies as well. They are invited to launch their own teams and take part in the league very similar to what we have in the National Football League," he said.
The Indian Cricket League Format
April 02, 2007
The Indian Cricket League will consist of six teams or clubs in the first year and will be increased to 16 over the next three years. To start with, all the matches will be Twenty20 affairs and will be played on home-and-away basis. Gradually, the format of the matches will be changed to 50-over a side. The champion team will get the winner's purse of $1 million. Each team in the league will have two Indian international players registered with the BCCI, four foreign players and the rest young and budding players. The players, who will take part in the ICL, will be contracted with the company and will get a fixed amount every month.
The finer points of ICL:
6 teams or clubs to play in opening year
Talks on with BCCI for gaining access to stadiums
Executive Board of the league under installation
Pool of referees and umpires to be created
Rules committee to form regulations for ICL
Ombudsman to look into grievances of players
League to begin with Twenty20 format and move to ODI format
League to be a joint venture between Essel Group and ILFS Group
Each of the 6 teams to be coached by an ex-India player
Each team would comprise four foreign, two Indian and eight budding players
Each team to have a mentor, media manager, psychologist, physio
Prize money for the winner- USD 1 million
League teams to compete with teams internationally
Number of teams to be increased from 6 to 16 in three years
The official web site of Subash Chandra's Essel Group's ICL is www.IndianCricketLeague.in
For news and information about the twenty20 League, write directly to:
Indian Cricket League, Essel Sports Pvt Ltd,
135 Continental Building, Dr. Annie Besant Road,
Worli, Mumbai 400018.
Email id: response@indiancricketleague.in
I really do not know exactly why the BCCI has shown scant interest in me. Erapalli Prasanna, talking to Rediff.
New Zealand Cricket cannot agree to release our contracted players to participate in the ICL. NZC Chief Executive Justin Vaughan.
If it is true that they have signed up, then losing Yousuf would be the biggest blow to Pakistan cricket. Shafqat Naghmi, PCB's chief operating officer.
This is the cream of the country. Kapil Dev, Chairman of ICL's executive board.
I thought of all the pros and cons... This gives me very good security. Abhishek Jhunjhunwala, the young Bengal batsman who signed up.
Yes, it will do better than BCCI
It will have a supportive role to BCCI 
"A professional league is the need of the hour as is the killer instinct in the players. We will try to do it as early as possible -- maybe in July," said Zee group chairman Subhash Chandra at a press conference here.
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The official web site of Subash Chandra's Essel Group's ICL is 
I really do not know exactly why the BCCI has shown scant interest in me.
