ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat rejected the application

The International Cricket Council has rejected the rebel Indian Cricket League's application to seek approval for its Twenty20 event.

Most countries ban ICL players from official cricket under pressure from the influential Indian board which runs the Indian Premier League tournament.

The ICC will continue to let individual boards decide what sanctions to impose on players who play in the ICL.

The ICL said it would take legal action if it did not receive approval.

"The Board gave the matter careful consideration but, looking at the criteria set out in the regulations, felt the application for approval could not be granted," said ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat.

It's absolutely unfair and extremely disappointing," Kiran More, an ICL board member, told the website Cricinfo.

"We will now definitely take the legal route for resolution of this issue. We could have done that earlier but were hoping for a fair decision from the ICC."

Deep Dasgupta, the former India wicketkeeeper who plays for the ICL's Royal Bengal Tigers, added: "It's a very unfortunate decision from a player's point of view. To us, the official approach has always seemed a bit monopolistic.

"Over the last year, we used to wait eagerly for every such ICC meeting, hoping for a positive solution. But every time, it has been very disappointing. At the end of the day, we just want to play cricket, period."

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