Three Assam juniors join ICL

Abu Nacheem became the youngest cricketer to join the Indian Cricket League. Along with the 18-year-old pacer

Abu Nacheem became the youngest cricketer to join the Indian Cricket League. Along with the 18-year-old pacer, who impressed during the Under-19 World Cup and was part of the junior India team that toured Lanka this month, two other Assam players 8212; Sujay Tarafdar and Pervez Aziz 8212; also joined the rebel league.

Reportedly, Nacheem was being paid a whopping Rs 90 Lakh for the move, while Aziz and Tarafdar have been offered Rs 60 Lakh each.

The trio were on a trip to Chennai and Hyderabad, to take part in the Buchi Babu and Moin-ud Dowla Trophy. The Assam team manager, Umananda Borah, realised in the wee hours that the three cricketers were missing from the team hotel. The manager informed the Assam Cricket Association secretary Bikash Barua, who in turn informed the local organisers and the police about the disappearance of the cricketers.

The ACA secretary, however, later confirmed that they have done so in order to join the breakaway cricket league. Barua, however said that the trio will be welcomed back into Assam cricket fold if they decided to return.

Support for ICL

The Madhya Pradesh government today offered its infrastructure to the Indian Cricket League, a report from Bhopal adds. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that he will support all ventures that are aimed at developing sport in the country.

8220;There is no scope for confusion, we will support ICL. I think that the BCCI-ICL stand off should end at the earliest,8221; he said.

Incidentally, Chouhan8217;s predecessor Digvijay Singh has openly supported the ICL. The AICC general secretary has shot two letters to the Board of Control for Cricket in India president Sharad Pawar, requesting him not to take a confrontationist stand on the issue.

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Meanwhile, the ICL joined BCCI in the tug of war over the Sector 21A Noida Stadium, a report from Noida adds. Years after the BCCI had offered to take over the stadium, the ICL has come up with a similar proposal now.

It has proposed to build international standard facilities that will help nurture local talent. The Noida authority has yet to take a decision on the matter.

Reporting by: Ajit Bezbaruah in New Delhi, Milind Ghatwai in Bhopal, K Shriniwas Rao in Mumbai, Arpit Parashar in Noida