Farhat is one of several Pakistan players signed up for the ICL

Three players - Imran Farhat, Taufeeq Umar and Shabbir Ahmed - argued the ruling would ruin their livelihoods.

And they are considering legal action to challenge the ban.

But Mr Justice Malik Muhammad Qayyum said: "I agree it will not be restraint of trade to disallow players from Pakistan first-class cricket."

The India Cricket League (ICL) is not sanctioned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India and is opposed by all governing bodies around the world.

But Farhat, Umar and Shabbir have insisted they will not break their ICL contracts, despite their board promising to lift the domestic ban if they turn their backs on the league.

And Justice Qayyum added: "As requested, I have examined the matter in depth and gone through the various documents sent to me of the ICL agreement.

"The main reason which compelled me to form my opinion is that the commitments of the ICL agreements are taken to supersede all other commitments.

"In view of the above I am of the considered view that it can be permissible to disallow cricketers contracting with ICL from playing domestically in Pakistan first-class cricket."