Farhat, Taufiq to move court against PCB

“This is the only option available to us at the moment. Because by stopping us from playing for our department the board is basically endangering our private jobs,” Farhat said.

The Board has said it had followed a policy of the International Cricket Council and member boards in instructing all its affiliated departments not to select those players for domestic tournaments who have signed contracts and played in the ICL.

Farhat and Umar played in the inaugural edition of the ICL in India along with Abdul Razzaq, Shabbir Ahmed, Azhar Mahmood and former captain, Inzamam-ul Haq.

The PCB has also said those playing for ICL will not be considered for national selection. Farhat said he and Taufiq had taken a joint decision to move the court but were not aware what the other players have planned.

“Every player has his own right to decide what is best for him. But I and Taufiq have made up our minds. We would have filed the case earlier but due to the assassination of the former premier Benazir Bhutto things have been delayed,” Farhat said. “But as soon as the courts start functioning normally, our lawyer will file the affidavits in next few days against the ban,” he said. Farhat said as a professional cricketer he had to earn his livelihood from cricket and the Board was simply creating hurdles for him.

But he said at the moment he had not made up his mind to apply for British citizenship this year if not allowed to play in Pakistan.