Moin serves defamation notice to PCB

Former Pakistan captain Moin Khan has sued the Pakistan board over its claims that he was involved in recruiting batsman Mohammad Yousuf for the unsanctioned ICL.

Moin said in a defamation notice that "false and engineered statements" were made by the PCB that he pressured Yousuf to join the ICL, and that when the agreement was not finalised, Yousuf paid the player's fee back to him. He asked for a written apology from the PCB within three days as well as 100 million Pakistan rupees (US$1.3 million) as compensation for damage to his reputation.

PCB spokesman Mansoor Suhail denied the charge, calling them "whimsical and baseless." Suhail said the board was planning to claim damages from Moin for serving the notice to the PCB.

Moin said Yousuf had signed up with the ICL of his own accord and was paid an advance by cheque as part of his player's fee. When Yousuf then breached the agreement without any prior notice by turning his back on the ICL, he transferred the player's fee back to the ICL's bank account, Moin said.

Speculation in Pakistan in recent weeks has suggested Yousuf will become an ICL player though the PCB warned him last week that he faced a life ban if he joined. Yousuf signed a contract with the ICL in the wake of his omission from Pakistan's squad for the World Twenty20 last year, but the board later convinced him to cancel his contract and instead try and sign up for the IPL, a league approved by the national boards, as well as turn up for national duty.

The ICL took the matter to court in Mumbai claiming breach of contract, and that is where the issue remains for the moment: in legal limbo. Yousuf has repeatedly spoken of his frustration at the PCB's failure to resolve the matter, which prompted the speculation that he would go to the ICL.