Pakistan players involved in ICL question credibility of Essel Group

Karachi: The Pakistan cricket community has questioned the credibility of Indian conglomerate Essel Group which is reportedly trying to launch a rebel global Twenty20 tournament and enter the sports business across the world. According to recent media reports, the Essel Group which also owns the satellite broadcaster Zee TV is involved in moves to challenge the established cricket order and set up rival cricket boards. [caption id=“attachment_2218138” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File photo of former Pakistan cricketer Moin Khan. Getty[/caption] But in Pakistan some of the players, who took part in the outlawed Indian Cricket League (ICL) which was held in India from 2007 to 2009 funded by the Essel group, said the Indian conglomerate first need to establish its credibility in Pakistan cricket again. “The fact of the matter is that till today the Essel Group which was behind the ICL owes Pakistani players and officials around two million dollars,” one player told PTI. “I remember around 25 players and officials from Pakistan were part of the ICL which featured a team from Pakistan called the Lahore Badshahs. After the ICL was wrapped up following the Mumbai terror attacks players and officials were reassured their dues would be cleared soon,” said the player, who didn’t want to be named for fear of legal issues. “But till today these dues are still to be cleared from the ICL organizers although we know they have made out of court settlements with the Indian based players who took part in the ICL,” he added. Pakistan’s former captain, Moin Khan, who acted as an agent for the ICL organizers in Pakistan, also confirmed that the ICL organizers still owed them around 2 million dollars. “Look until now no one has approached us in Pakistan for any rival league but the fact is first these dues should be cleared for the Essel Group to restablish its credibility in Pakistan’s cricket community,” Moin said. “The players who are owed these money even today demand their payments but despite several reminders there has been no response from the organizers,” he said. The Daily Telegraph has reported that a website domain, globalt20.com, has been registered this month and follows news last week that companies in Australia, New Zealand and Scotland have been formed with names similar to cricket boards in those countries. It said in total more than 249 website domains have been registered to cover countries and associations that could be affiliated to the new governing body. “A world league could then be launched with new markets such as the United States and China targeted along with traditional cricket playing countries,” the report said. Subhash Chandra, the billionaire owner of Essel, said on Twitter that his company is looking to launch cricket projects around the world. PTI