The status of the ICL(Indian Cricket League) is still in limbo, with the ICC(International Cricket Council) board having deferred considering the Indian Twenty20 league's application for approval pending further discussions between the BCCI, ICL and the ICC.The topic was again brought up for debate on the opening day of the ICC board meeting in Perth. The pressure has been growing on the ICC to take a decision on the ICL, especially from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), whose chairman Ijaz Butt said he would take up the matter at the meeting.
Earlier this week, the PCB had received a letter threatening legal action over the bans imposed on Pakistan's ICL recruits.
The PCB had indicated its keenness on lifting the sanction in the past, and recently urged the ICC to change its stance on the league, stating the board had banned players under ICC rules.
The ICL asked for recognition last year under an ICC rule that allows matches of an 'exhibition/testimonial' nature to be granted approval directly by the world body. The ICC then directed the BCCI to conduct discussions with the Indian board, since it considered the matter a domestic issue. However, there was no headway in the talks between the BCCI and ICL.
One problem that was agreed on was over-rates, with the boarding agreeing with the view of the CEC and Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, that something had to be done to address the issue of teams not reaching the mandatory 15 overs per hour.
