09 April,2009 02:35 PM IST | | PTI
Pakistan's banned pace bowler Rana Naved has sought guarantee from Pakistan Cricket Board before he snaps his ties with the rebel Indian Cricket League.
Naved told reporters in Lahore he was keen to play for the country once again, but he wanted to be sure that if he left his ICL contract he would be given a central contract.
"I am not asking them for guarantees to play me in the national team. That is for the selectors to decide and it also depends on my form and fitness. But I want some financial protection and that can come in the form of a central contract," Naved said.
Naved along with all rounder Abdul Razzaq and opener Imran Nazir were initially named in Pakistan's provisional squad of 30 for the Twenty20 World Cup this week but then dropped on second thoughts by PCB which has sought clarification from the International Cricket Council and the ICL on status of these players.
"I still have a contract with the ICL and I don't think they have ended contracts with any of our players. But I definitely want to play for Pakistan but I don't want to find myself in no-mans land neither here or there," Naved said.
Naved made it clear if the PCB assured him a central contract he would end his ties with the ICL permanently and also convince them to do this in an amicable manner.
"The ICL has been good to us and they have given us financial protection. I don't think they would object if we wanted to end our contracts," Naved added.
The PCB at present has given out central contracts to 28 players who are divided into three categories and get paid monthly salaries, with those in the highest category getting 2,50,000 Pakistani Rupees a month.
Naved noted that cricket was his livelihood and he wanted to secure the future for himself and his family.
Saleem Altaf, the chief operating officer of the PCB, said the ICL players would have to first end their contracts to be considered for Pakistan again.
"We have asked for clarification from the ICL but our legal advisors have told us that under the terms of the contract these players have signed with the ICL, only the organisers can release them and terminate their contracts," Altaf said.
He said PCB would look ahead on the ICL players only when they got clarifications from the ICL and also when ICC gave a clear ruling on whether these players can be selected in national teams immediately or will have to spend some time before returning to international cricket.
A PCB official said the letter was sent directly to Kapil Dev the head of the ICL operations.
