India offers ICL players amnesty

Mohammad Yousuf's ICL connections earned him a Pakistan ban

India's cricket board has offered rebel players an olive branch if they choose to sever links with the unsanctioned Indian Cricket League.

The BCCI has banned ICL players from playing domestic cricket.

But BCCI president Shashank Manohar said ICL players can return to official cricket provided they cut all ties with the Twenty20 league by 31 May.

However, any players who accept the offer will have to wait for a year to be considered for selection for India.

"A lot of cricketers and support staff with the ICL met us and told us that they committed a mistake by joining the ICL and they want to return to the BCCI," said Manohar.

"They will be allowed to play domestic cricket immediately, (but) the players will not be given any international assignment for one year as a punishment."

Some of us have been stuck with the ICL and not knowing where we are headed cricket-wise, especially after the March programme was cancelled

ICL player Hemang Badani

The decision comes less than two weeks after the sport's world governing body, the International Cricket Council (ICC), rejected the ICL's appeal for official recognition.

A statement shortly after the announcement from ICL head Himanshu Mody read: "The ICL management has decided not to renew the contracts of some of the ICL players and support staff that have expired. As cricket professionals they are free to decide and explore their options."

The BCCI and ICL have been locked in a bitter dispute which began shortly after India's World Twenty20 success in 2007.

The ICL, financed by Essel Group, the largest media group in the country, was established without the approval of the BCCI, which was in the process of setting up its own Indian Premier League (IPL).

606: DEBATE

My view is that all players should be free to earn a living whenever and wherever they can

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The BCCI subsequently banned any ICL participants from competing in domestic and international cricket, with national governing bodies across the world adopting a similar policy with rebel players from their countries.

However, the BCCI's rapprochement could be universally adopted by other countries, allowing players like Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf and New Zealand fast bowler Shane Bond a route back into Test cricket.

Bangladesh cricket chiefs have indicated they could follow India's lead.

"India took the decision in line with a directive from International Cricket Council (ICC), and we will also consider the same in our next board meeting on 9 May," said Bangladesh Cricket Board vice-president Mahbubul Anam.

ICL player Hemang Badani, who played four Tests for India, welcomed the BCCI's decision.

"Some of us have been stuck with the ICL and not knowing where we are headed cricket-wise, especially after the March programme was cancelled," he told Cricinfo.

"Some of the ICL money due to us was not coming through either, possibly due to the recession. But mostly some of us were frustrated because there just hasn't been enough cricket for us in the ICL."