Razzaq seeks PCB permission to play for Knight Riders

Karachi:

Seasoned all-rounder Abdul Razzaq informed the Pakistan Cricket Board that he has received an offer from Kolkata Knight Riders and sought permission to play in the third edition of the Indian Premier League.

Razzaq recently met PCB Chairman Ejaz Butt in Lahore to tell him about his chances of playing for the Shah Rukh Khan-owned team.

"I have informed the board in advance as obviously the board can only give me or get me permission to go and play in the IPL," Razzaq said.

The all-rounder said he was keen to play in the IPL, which he described as a big happening in international cricket.

Razzaq returned to the Pakistan team in June during the Twenty20 World Cup in England after resigning from the unofficial Indian Cricket League.

The all-rounder, who also went to Sri Lanka in July, was dropped from the Champions Trophy squad but Razzaq vowed to prove his form to the selectors and get back into the team for future tournaments.

Pakistani players featured prominently in the first IPL but couldn't play in the second edition this year as they didn't get the required clearance from the government.

The government had advised the PCB not to send its players to India for the IPL because of security concerns but the tournament was later shifted to South Africa and by then it was too late for the Pakistani players to do anything or for the franchises to reverse their decision of suspending or terminating contracts of most Pakistani players.

Sources said that senior batsman Misbah-ul-Haq and opener Salman Butt had also started formal proceedings to get clearance from the PCB and government to accept offers from franchisees to play in the IPL which will now be held in April next year in India.