Yousuf an asset for Pakistan

LAHORE - Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt has given clear indication that Mohammad Yousuf, who has parted ways with the 'rebel' Indian Cricket League, is set to become the first ICL player to be accepted back into the national team. "Yousuf has told us that he has resigned from the ICL and we have formed a committee to look into cases of the players who played in the ICL. Situation would become clear in a few days. There is no doubt that Yousuf is required in the Pakistan team," Butt said. Yousuf is expected to be picked up in the Pakistan squad for the tour of Sri Lanka next month where they will play three Tests and five ODIs. Reports coming from the PCB confirmed that the board is likely to impose a minimum financial penalty on Yousuf and some other ICL players before allowing them back into the national team. Butt said the board would definitely consider all cases where the players have snapped their links with ICL by the given deadline of May 31. "After this deadline we will have to deal with players still signed up with the ICL as per the new ICC regulations governing unofficial and unauthorized cricket tournaments," a board official said.Yousuf met with senior board officials Saleem Altaf and Wasim Bari in Lahore to gave them a copy of his resignation from the ICL and assured them that he had no intention of returning to the 'rebel' league and wanted to play for Pakistan again.Reports said the board is also likely to have meetings with other notable ICL players including Abdul Razzaq, Imran Nazir, Imran Farhat in next few days to sort out the matter.All three cricketers will play in the national Twenty20 championship which begins in Lahore from May 25. However, Butt made it clear that every player in future would have to prove his fitness to be part of the Pakistan team and no exception would be made. No unfit player will be the part of touring squad for ICC World Cup in England; this has been cited by Ijaz Butt, PCB Chairman on his arrival from the tour of Asian Block to regain the support of Asia's Test-playing nations in a bid to win back the right to host 2011 World Cup games. "No player with fitness concern will tour England for ICC World Twenty20," Butt said during a media talk at Lahore Airport.Pakistan pace bowler Shoaib Akhtar seems to heading towards another trouble as he first missed the conditioning camp for the Twenty20 World Cup held in the hill resort of Bhurban and then ruled out of the practice matches at Gaddafi Stadium for the preparation of Twenty20 World Cup. Akhtar, 33, mentioned skin infection near his groin and that the doctor had advised him seven to eight days rest. However, the pacer later informed that he will be available for the practice matches from May 20 but he is not the part ongoing practice matches at Gaddafi Stadium under floodlights.

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