India board tells players to steer clear of Lanka league

NEW DELHI: The Indian cricket board (BCCI) has denied permission to a dozen cricketers to play in the inaugural Sri Lanka Premier League, local media reported on Sunday.

Praveen Kumar, Munaf Patel, Ravichandran Ashwin and Irfan Pathan were among the 12 seeking to play in the July 19-Aug. 4 tournament but the BCCI were against their participation.

"We took the decision at an informal meeting of 18-20 members held yesterday that no Indian cricketer will be given permission to take part in the league as it is being organised by a private party based in Singapore," Board of Control for Cricket in India President Shashank Manohar told Press Trust of India news agency on Sunday.

"The Board's policy is not to allow players to take part in private party-organised tournaments.

"We have already informed the Sri Lanka Cricket about it."

Manohar was not immediately available for further comment.

Kieron Pollard, Shahid Afridi and Daniel Vettori are among the foreign recruits of the Twenty20 tournament, which has been modelled on the successful Indian Premier League.

Copyright Reuters, 2011