Published: Jun 10, 2013, 12:42 PM (IST)
Edited: Jun 10, 2013, 12:42 PM (IST)
Munaf Patel was approached by Lancashire to play as one of their two foreign players in a T20 competition © Getty Images
Mumbai: Jun 10, 2013
Baroda fast-bowler Munaf Patel has been denied permission by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to accept an offer from Lancashire to represent the county in the English T20 competition later this month.
The 29-year-old fast bowler, who was part of the Mumbai Indians outfit that won the Indian Premier League (IPL) in 2013, was approached by Lancashire recently. He had applied for a no-objection certificate from BCCI, only to be denied.
“Patel had requested the BCCI to allow him to go play for Lancashire. But since his contract would have included only T20 matches, we didn’t grant him the permission. The BCCI’s stand has been clear that our players are not allowed to go play in T20 leagues outside India. But we will gladly allow anyone who’s interested in playing longer format cricket abroad,” a top BCCI official confirmed, as reported by The Indian Express.
Patel featured in IPL 2013 after missing out the entire First-Class domestic season in India last year owing to a toe injury. Following Mumbai Indians’ IPL triumph, Munaf was approached by Lancashire to sign him up as one of the two foreign players.
Not long ago, BCCI had also declined requests from the Caribbean Premier League to allow Indian players to participate.
“We have informed the CPL organisers that our players will not be part of their event. We don’t want our guys to be part of any other T20 league, especially considering how long the IPL season is,” the official said.
